


Unseasoned Hearts

by EnglishPoet18



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-06 20:37:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 71,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3147824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnglishPoet18/pseuds/EnglishPoet18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The trouble with men is that they never knew when to quit, never knew quite when to flip the switch on their brain to mouth filter. It was a cold Sunday, a miserable, rainy, kind of day. The kind where you just wanted to stay inside and never leave the comfort of your bed. AU, Caryl fic, Rated M for violence and dark moments...for now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

...

The trouble with men is that they never knew when to quit, never knew quite when to flip the switch on their brain to mouth filter.

It was a cold Sunday, a miserable, rainy, kind of day. The kind where you just wanted to stay inside and never leave the comfort of your bed.

Her cold fingers clutched the wheel of the car, her posture rigid. It was really happening.

It was all over...

...

_"You will obey me or I'll make you sorry. Do you understand?"_

_Carol nodded. She understood. She understood perfectly, except she refused to obey him anymore. She had always taken her vows seriously, never straying even though tempted, always obeying, always there._

_No more though. It ended today. She had been pushed one too many times, the product of too many episodes of abuse. She wasn't backing down anymore. No more cowering in a corner, her life passing her by. She wanted to live._

_"I understand just fine Ed," Carol replied, her voice devoid of all emotion._

_He sneered, "Yeah, you better understand. Stupid bitch!"_

_Carol let his harsh words wash right over her. Not much longer now and she could be free. She just had to play her cards right. Her hand ghosted over the dish towel that concealed the gun she had purchased with a false ID a few towns over. She had done her research, but she knew that she would still be a suspect. That's why she had a bag packed and concealed into the trunk of a beat up car she had bought from some junkie who needed some quick cash. She had the car hiding down the street at a convenience store._

_Her hand trembled as she felt the hardness that rested underneath it. Unbeknownst to Ed, she had paid someone else to purchase the gun for her, taking it to a gun range to practice. Surprisingly Ed had never suspected a thing, but then again he had been slipping lately, drinking more than usual._

_She stared out of the window, her body rigid and motionless. The day was cloudy and dark, matching the storm that was currently waging a war in her head. Behind her Ed droned on and on, his voice barely registering to her as she gathered her nerves. She closed her eyes momentarily, going over her reasons again in her head. She had no other choice here. Ed would never let her leave him. He had said as much time and again. He would kill her before he let her leave so that only left her with one choice: to kill him first._

_"Are you fucking listening to me Carol? I asked you a question and I expect an answer!" Ed's voice rose, throwing her from her thoughts and back to the present._

_She turned, her hand still on the dish towel, drawing strength from the mere presence of it._

_"I wasn't listening," Carol replied in that same dull tone._

_Ed narrowed his eyes at her, growling as he took a step towards her. His hand reached for his belt and Carol felt her breath hitch._

_Not the belt._

_She braced herself, having lived through this moment so many times before. Ed loved to lash at her with words, but he had also taken a liking to lashing at her with his belt. She had the welts on her back to prove it. He unbuckled the belt, the buckle glinting in the light shining down from the ceiling. Carol was frozen, her heart nearly beating out of her chest. She took slow, deep, breaths forcing her heart rate to slow. She repeated her reasons again in her head._

_This wasn't her fault._

_She didn't deserve this._

_If she didn't kill him, he would kill **her**. _

_As the belt slid free of the last loop and Ed began to curve it into an arc, Carol pulled the gun free from its hiding place. She held it in both hands and pointed it at his chest, dead center of his heart. It took the action a few seconds to register in Ed's mind, but she could see the exact moment when it did. His eyes widened briefly in surprise and then he smiled slowly._

_"What's this? You finally trying to grow some balls on me Carol? You don't know how to shoot a fucking gun," he said._

_Carol eyed him, her eyes filled with a steely determination. She cocked the gun, nice and slow, her eyes never breaking from him. She had practiced this for so long and her aim was always accurate now._

_Ed huffed a little when he saw that she wasn't backing down and he let the belt dangle to his side._

_"Come on now. Give me the Goddamn gun Carol. We both know if you shoot me, you'll go away for a long time. You wouldn't last in prison girl."_

_Carol swallowed, ignoring his taunts. She might go to prison, but she doubted it could be worse than this. This was hell, but Carol had just challenged the devil himself._

_"Fuck you Ed," she replied in the coldest voice she could muster._

_He blinked, obviously surprised that she was daring to defy him. After all, by now she was usually reduced to a sobbing, whimpering, mess. She had always surrendered to him, but she was done with all that. That was the old Carol and this was the newer, more improved, version. Slowly, the surprise and shock left his face and she saw the evil glint flicker in his eyes once was the Ed that she knew. The cold, heartless, bastard who liked to beat on innocent women, beat on **her.**  
_

_"This ain't going to end well for you Carol. You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. You miss and I'm coming after you," he warned. "Think about it. It's going to be that much worse for you when I do."_

_Carol laughed, the sound shocking even her. Her eyes crinkled in the corners, wetness coating her cheeks as she laughed in his face._

_"You're so wrong Ed, so naive to everything that I've been doing behind your back. Not only can I shoot, but I can shoot to kill." She watched as the weight of her words sunk into his brain._

_He dropped the belt, "Now, now, Carol. Let's not be hasty. All married couples have spats. What you say we just let this one here slide, hm? You get started on breakfast and I'll go watch myself some TV."_

_"I don't think so Ed."_

_He scowled at her, curling his lip in disgust, "You think you're a tough bitch don't you? That's okay, I'll break you again. Enjoy it too, just like last time," He threatened._

_It all seemed to happen so fast. He took a step towards her and Carol tightened her finger on the trigger in warning. He didn't stop, instead he kept right on coming and Carol did the only thing she could do. She pulled the trigger._

_The shot hit him square in the chest, right in the heart just like she had practiced. He stumbled, caught in the process of grasping for another step and grabbing at his chest. She stood still, simply watching him as he fought for breath. Not surprisingly she felt not an ounce of sympathy for him. He held out a hand as if to reach for her, his eyes seeming to plead with her before he fell face first onto the hard linoleum floor. Carol stepped back several feet, her heart pounding in her throat. She waited, but he remained motionless, a tiny trickle of blood traveling in a tiny rivulet across the floor from underneath him._ _Kneeling, she pressed two fingers against his neck, feeling for a pulse that wasn't to be found._

_Dead._

_She had just killed her husband for all intents and purposes. Standing up, she brushed off her pants and tucked the gun into her waist. Grabbing her purse from the counter, she placed it on her shoulder and then stopped in her tracks towards the exit. Retracing her steps, she pulled out his wallet and took his cash, even taking the cash he kept in a hidden slot that he thought she didn't know about. Replacing the wallet, she stood again, looking down at him and trying to find some ounce of sympathy for him, but there wasn't any._

_Giving one last glance around, she paused before walking out of the back door, "Til death do us part, huh Ed?" She whispered to his dead body just before exiting._

_She cut through the sparse trees that separated their backyard from the highway. She kept her head down as she walked down to the convenience store where her car was parked. It was one of those stores that stayed open twenty-four hours, kind of a welcome store for passing motorists so her car blended in with the multiple others._

_Reaching the car, she exhaled a shaky breath that she hadn't even realized she had been holding. Severe nausea overcame her and she clutched her stomach, bending over by the bumper to throw up the contents of her stomach. She heaved several times before stopping, the knot forming in her stomach relieved somewhat. Settling into the car, she cranked it, holding her breath until the engine sputtered to life._

_Pulling out onto the highway with her gas tank already full she had no particular destination in mind. She was simply headed as far away from there as she could get. After traveling for several miles, her eyes constantly on the stretch of highway behind her, she began to breathe easier when nothing happened. Holding the wheel with one hand, she reached for her gun and secured it into the glovebox. The clouds above her opened, releasing their torrential rainfall, and still she pushed forward._

_..._

Her cold fingers clutched the wheel of the car, her posture rigid. It was really happening.

It was all over.

She had succeeded in killing her husband, finally being pushed to the extreme. She would be forced to live a life on the run, but at least she would be _free_ and to Carol's battered soul, it was well worth it.

...


	2. Chapter 2

...

Carol drove with no clear destination in mind, the lines on the road sliding past at a steady speed. She just knew that she had to get as far away from the state of Kentucky as possible. She figured on heading southeast, stopping whenever she got ready. The end destination didn't so much matter to her as long as she was away from there, away from the memories of before. She planned to start over, to try and reclaim her hold on life.

Every mile that she traveled, every second that passed put her that much farther away and subsequently the tightness in her chest began to decrease its hold on her. It took her several hours to cross the state line into Tennessee, but as soon as she did she released a big breath, sinking down into her seat some.

She hadn't thought too much about what she would do for money when she finally did stop, but she knew that she would need to find a job right away. She had enough cash to last her about a month before she would need more. In all honesty she really didn't care, she would have been happy digging graves at a cemetery as long as she didn't have to walk around with that constant fear that she would be hit, the constant need to protect herself from Ed's next assault. Too many years had been wasted, too much time spent in fear.

She wasn't even really sure what had changed things for her, but somehow she had summoned up the courage to take matters into her own hands. She remembered the one time that she had gone to the police station with the complaint that Ed had beat her. The officer at the desk had tried to get her to fill out a form for a restraining order which she was told would prevent him from coming within so many feet of her. She couldn't figure out why one piece of paper would stop a man weighing in at at least two hundred pounds from hitting her. The officer had told her that if Ed had hit her with this restraining order against him, then she could call the police and they would have him arrested. Carol had laughed. She remembered telling that officer that dead people couldn't dial phones. With that being said, she had walked right back out of that police station and pretended that it had never happened.

That's how she had known that if she wanted out of that marriage, she would have to do it herself. The world was a twisted and sick place, catering to those who had money and power. She might not have the money, but now she had the power. It had been difficult at first to slip around behind Ed's back and get what she needed to get done. His alcohol consumption had increased which had made it easier for her to lie. It also made it easier for him to beat her.

She learned really quickly to doctor her own wounds, taking what information she could gather from books and television. Her scars might have been fewer had she seen a doctor, but Ed wouldn't ever allow it. She would have to be on her deathbed before he would take her to a doctor, and even then she wasn't so sure that he would have.

It didn't matter anymore though, none of it did. That was the past and she was determined to push it all behind her. She needed to start fresh, find somewhere to settle, maybe a new name if necessary.

Her stomach growled in hunger and she turned on her blinker, changing lanes and steering the car off onto the next exit. She needed to find food and a bathroom, maybe take a few minutes to get some air. Maybe the change of scenery would help to clear her head. Her mind was still one big jumble of emotions and nerves.

Pulling into a nearby gas station, she parked the car and headed inside, a bell on the door clanging to announce her presence. She cringed at the loud noise, not being used to it after being in the quiet car for so long. There was a woman seated behind the counter reading a magazine that glanced over as Carol entered. Turning away from the register, Carol headed down the aisles, searching for some sort of nourishment for her body. She had to be careful as far as money went. Not knowing how long it might take her to get more meant she had to be thrifty with her choices.

Selecting two bags of peanuts, a couple of sticks of beef jerky, and a Gatorade, she headed for the counter to pay for her items. The woman surveyed her intently as she rang up Carol's selections and the intensity of her stare was unnerving to Carol. As she rifled through her purse for some cash, she tried to keep her hands from shaking. There was no way that anyone could have found Ed already. He didn't have to work today and barely anyone ever came to their house, but Carol still felt like someone would be able to look at her and just _know_ that she had done it.

Unless of course, someone in their neighborhood had heard the gunshot. She hadn't had any way to mask the noise, but at least their neighbors didn't live too closely to them. The thought was unsettling though, the not knowing if Ed had been discovered yet or not, and she found herself trying to hurry the process up so she could get back to the car where she felt relatively safe. Carol grabbed her bag of food from the woman, pausing at the counter.

"Do you have a restroom here?" She asked.

The woman nodded, "Yeah, but you need this key. It's around the corner to the right. Want me to hold your stuff until you get back?"

Carol clutched her bag tightly to her chest, "No thanks. I'll bring this right back."

She tried to keep her steps slow and regular as she pushed open the door and headed for the bathroom. Once inside the dingy confines she did her business, washing her hands and splashing her face with cold water. She took several gulping breaths as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The woman who stared back at her looked much older than her twenty-six years. The years hadn't been easy on her and she ran her fingers gently through her lifeless hair. She could only imagine how she appeared to others. Ed had stopped taking her to a salon to get her hair cut years ago and she had had to improvise by cutting her own. The shoulder length strands were slightly uneven, giving her hair a choppy look that didn't quite fit her figure.

Tearing her eyes away from the mirror, she grabbed her bag and headed back inside to return the key.

"Thanks," Carol said quickly, averting her eyes from the other woman's stare.

"Have a good day ma'am," the woman replied, but Carol was already out of the door and heading back towards her car.

Once inside she cranked the engine and laid her head back on the seat, closing her eyes for just a moment. She was so tired. It seemed like no matter what she did, she never got enough rest. Every spare minute had been spent planning her escape and plotting Ed's demise. She cleared her throat, opening her eyes quickly before sleep could pull her under. She took a swig of her drink and tore open the corner of one of the packets of nuts, pouring a good portion into her mouth. The protein and salt from the nuts would help to quiet her rumbling stomach. She would find better nourishment later.

...

Six grueling hours of travel later Carol passed a small sign indicating that she was entering Bellview, Georgia. Frowning, she looked down at her map, wondering how she could have gotten so deep into Georgia that she almost felt like she was entering the twilight zone. Driving onward, she spotted a convenience store, some type of diner, a post office, and a mechanics shop. Steering the car towards the convenience store, she intended on asking for directions back to a major highway. She wanted something off of the map, but this seemed a little extreme.

She was just passing the shop when her car started slowing down. Alarmed, Carol hit the gas pedal harder, thinking that she must be running out of gas or something even though it clearly read that she had half of a tank left. The engine revved, but the car went nowhere. Wanting to cry in frustration, Carol cut the steering wheel towards the shop, hoping that one of the mechanics would take a look at it and be able to fix it. She couldn't go anywhere without a car and her pulse raced at the thought of being stranded out there in the middle of nowhere.

Cutting the engine, Carol stepped out of the car, surveying the crowded garage. Dozens of junk cars littered the lot, several newer cars dotting the pavement here and there. Steeling herself, Carol headed for the bay doors, squinting to see into the shadowy interior.

"Well now, what do we have here?" A male voice leered from behind her.

Carol whirled, not having noticed the man when she had walked up. He had red hair that stuck out all over his head like he didn't own a brush or either didn't care and something in his smile made her inch towards her car.

"I've got a problem with my car. I was wondering if someone could take a look at it," she said.

He began heading towards her, causing her to inch closer and closer to her car until she was standing next to it. He kept staring at her for several minutes and then his eyes finally seemed to focus on the car.

"What's it doing?" He asked.

"When I press the gas the engine revs, but it doesn't go anywhere," she replied.

He tapped on the rusty hood, "Pop the hood."

She opened the driver's door and peered into the car, looking for the hood latch. Finally she spotted it near the floorboard and she pulled it, causing the hood to pop open. He leaned over the bumper, peering down at the engine, sticking his hand in various places before scratching his head.

"Crank it," he ordered.

Carol bristled at his attitude, but moved to do as he requested. It wasn't like she had many other options right now. He looked over it a few more minutes before shutting the hood, motioning to her to kill the engine. She climbed back out of the car, praying for some good news.

"Your transmission is shot," he said nonchalantly.

Carol groaned, her eyes drifting to the car that had taken her so far, but not far enough. She wanted to kick something, scream out her frustration.

"How much?" She dreaded the answer.

She didn't know much about cars, but she did know that transmissions were a big deal.

He shrugged, "Probably looking at two thousand easy."

Carol's heart sank. She hadn't even put that much into _buying_ the car. What would she do now? Where would she go? She was so focused on her own thoughts that she didn't hear the guy behind her until it was almost too late. The hair on her neck prickled as she felt fingers trace over her ass and she shoved her hand into her pocket, pulling out her pepper spray without a second thought. Whirling around, she saw his fingers make another grab for her, but not before she sprayed him directly in the face.

"Bitch!" He yelped.

"What is it with men?" She yelled. "Are you all freaking insane?"

The man bent over, wiping at his eyes with the tail of his shirt frantically. Biting her lip, Carol reared back and kicked him square in the balls. A tormented squeal escaped his lips and he fell to the ground, but Carol could care less.

No longer would a man put his hands on her without her fighting back. She was done with men thinking they could manhandle her. Done.

"You bitch," he grunted from his position on the ground.

Carol reared back to kick him once more for good measure when rapidly approaching footsteps and a shout brought her to a halt.

"Hey! What's goin' on here?"

...


	3. Chapter 3

...

"Hey! What's going on here?"

Carol paused and whipped around in the direction of the voice. Lowering her foot, she placed it back down on the ground and studied the guy that had approached her. She was wary now that there were two men and she made sure to keep them both in her sights at all times.

"She fucking sprayed me with mace! Bitch!" The man on the ground spat.

The new guy frowned and stared at the man and then back to Carol, his steely blue eyes sharp and piercing. He had on one of those shop shirts that buttoned up, but it was hanging open unbuttoned, revealing a white tank underneath. There was a patch sewn into the corner of the shirt and she squinted to read the name "Daryl".

"You spray Red here with mace?" The man with Daryl on his shirt asked her.

Carol nodded, casting a glance over at "Red". "He grabbed my ass," she replied tersely.

The man studied her for several minutes and then he finally nodded. He walked over to Red and knelt down next to him.

"You're fired Red." His voice was laced with threat.

"What? It wasn't my fucking fault Daryl! She's making that shit up!" Red yelled even as he moaned again and rubbed at his eyes.

"I told your ass last time that if I got one more complaint, then you were fired. You think I was kiddin' about that shit?" Daryl's voice rose with his anger. "I got a business to run here Red! Fuck!"

Turning away from Red, Carol watched as Daryl approached her, running a hand through his short brown hair wearily.

"Sorry about that. There somethin' I can help you with?"

Carol sighed, "My car. It's messed up. _He_ ," She pointed at Red who was slowly making his way to his feet, "told me that it was my transmission."

Daryl nodded, his eyes drifting to Red as the man stalked past them both and climbed into a blue Ford pickup truck, firing up the engine and spinning tires as he reversed out of the lot.

Daryl shook his head. "Fuckin' jackass. Third mechanic I done been through too."

Carol crossed her arms over her chest and just stared at him. If he was expecting sympathy then he definitely wasn't going to get it from her. She watched as he walked over to her car.

"This is yours here, right?" He asked.

Carol nodded, not speaking as she watched him. Instead of asking her to pop the hood, he opened the car door and did it himself, raising the hood so that he could look at the engine. He frowned and then knelt down on the ground, falling to his back and sliding underneath the car. She stared at his long jean clad legs as she waited, his boots wiggling back and forth as he worked.

The sun was starting to get lower in the sky, the afternoon soon to be coming to a close and Carol gnawed at her lip in worry. If her car was unable to be repaired right now, then she had no idea where she would sleep. She needed to start thinking of a plan just in case.

She cleared her throat. "Are there any hotels nearby?"

"Closest hotel's about forty miles out," his gruff voice replied. "Shit," he muttered.

"Forty miles?" Carol repeated numbly.

How had she managed to end up here? Why hadn't she planned this thing out further before just driving?

He grunted from underneath her car and then one hand slid out, grasping the bumper so that he could slide himself out from underneath the vehicle. She gasped as she saw that his once white tank was now coated with a rusty colored substance. He pulled a red rag from his back pocket and wiped at his fingers with it, studying the car with a frown.

"Got yourself a transmission leak for sure. Might be some other stuff going on. Have to put it on a lift and see," he explained.

He shrugged off his button up shirt and grabbed the hem of his tank, pulling it over his head. Her eyes widened at his bare chest and she quickly averted her eyes, but not before she had caught a glimpse of tanned muscle and skin. She swallowed down the feeling of desire that coursed through her. It had been so long since she had felt a twinge of anything remotely resembling desire.

"So what you think?" He asked, snapping her thoughts back to the present.

Carol swung her eyes back over to him. "About what?" She asked blankly.

"'Bout the car. Want me to fix it?" He glanced at the car skeptically.

Carol swallowed, "How long will it take?"

"Dependin' on what's wrong with it. Could take up to one week."

A week? She didn't _have_ a week. Where would she sleep for a week? How could she get to the hotel that was forty miles away?

"I don't..." She sighed. "How much will all that cost?"

"I can give you a better estimate of the cost tomorrow after I get it up on the lift."

He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, shaking one out and lighting it up while staring at her. He studied her carefully for a few moments.

"Where you headed?" He asked.

Carol glanced at him warily. "How do you know I wasn't headed here?"

He chuckled, blowing a puff of smoke into the air from his cigarette, "Ain't nobody _headed_ here. We all just kind of end up here."

"I don't really have a destination. I'm just out seeing what the world has to offer," she replied.

It was partially true. She _didn't_ have a destination, but she wasn't out traveling the world just for the hell of it though. She needed somewhere to start over, to make some sort of new life for herself. Unfortunately she was now stuck without a means of transportation and night was quickly approaching.

"I got a place if you interested," he said suddenly.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't think so."

His face reddened slightly and he shook his head. "Nah...I mean, my brother's place. It's right near mine and he's...gone for a while. You can stay there if you want until your car is fixed," he offered.

Carol thought about it while looking around at her surroundings. She didn't have lots of other options, but did she really want to stay in some stranger's place? She had her gun though so at least she could protect herself if something happened. She wouldn't back down anymore from anyone. She was done being a victim.

Throwing another glance to her car, she finally nodded slightly. "Alright," she conceded, "Let me grab my bags."

...

Carol watched Daryl warily out of the corner of her eye as they rode to his place which seemed like it was even further out in the middle of nowhere than the actual town itself was. She had her gun tucked into her waist and her pepper spray in her pocket if she needed it. She was fidgety and she would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous about agreeing to stay on some guy's property that she didn't even know.

When he finally turned the red pickup down a small dirt road that she would have missed at first glance, her heart skipped a beat. Her fingers grazed the handle of the door, her throat threatening to close up as she held off her rising panic.

"Not gonna touch you or anything, if that's what you're worried about." His deep voice washed over her suddenly.

Startled, she glanced over at him to find him staring at her hands that drummed by the door handle. Taking a deep calming breath, she forced a smile to her face that she didn't really feel.

"I'm okay," she replied softly.

He nodded, but his expression said that he wasn't convinced and Carol had to force herself to quit acting like an escaped criminal. Except she was kind of an escaped criminal, only she just hadn't been caught... _yet_.

Finally a small cabin came into view and she leaned forward in her seat, anxious to be out of the truck that seemed to be too small for her and her anxiety. He drove around to the back of the cabin and Carol saw that there was another cabin behind that one, set a little further back into the woods. He coasted to a stop and exited the vehicle, Carol following him.

"This one's my brother's cabin, but like I said he's gone for a while so you're free to use it," he explained as he pointed to the cabin in the back.

Carol only glanced at it as he wandered over to unlock the door. He held the door open for her to enter, but she waited, staring at him pointedly.

He simply raised his eyebrows and wandered into the cabin where she followed along behind him. He walked over to the stove and sink, checking a few things as she glanced around the place.

It wasn't big and there were only two doors that she figured led to a bedroom and a bathroom. The kitchen and living room were open to each other, creating the illusion of having more space. It was relatively clean though and that's all that really mattered to her.

"The stove's gas. You know how to work it or you need me to show you?" He called from the kitchen.

Carol shook her head. "I can figure it out," she responded quickly.

He nodded once and then made his way back into the living room. "There's some canned goods in the cabinet. Feel free to help yourself. I also got some food in mine and I can bring you something if you need it."

"Okay." Carol gave him a small smile. "Thank you for letting me stay here."

He shrugged, walking towards the door. "Like I said, ain't no big deal. Somebody ought to use it." He paused at the doorway and turned back to her. "I never got your name," he commented.

Carol chewed her lip, wondering if she should give her real name or a fake one. She hadn't really thought that far ahead. Seeing how he was looking at her somewhat expectantly, she just decided to give him her real name, leaving off her last name just in case.

"It's Carol," she replied.

He waited, but she offered nothing else and he cleared his throat. "I'm Daryl, but I figure you probably already figured that out by now."

She nodded, "Yes. Thank you Daryl."

He tipped his head at her and walked out, shutting the door behind him. Her shoulders slumped forward with something close to relief and she walked over to the door, quickly latching it behind him. She didn't get a bad vibe from him or anything, but she wasn't taking any chances at this point. She hadn't gotten a bad vibe from Ed either when they had first met, but he had turned out to be some kind of violent monster in disguise.

Her stomach clenched again as the reality of what she had done hit her right in the gut. Running for a door, she opened it to reveal a bedroom and she turned for the other, holding her hand over her mouth. This door led to a bathroom and she fell to her knees quickly in front of the toilet as she began to heave. Her stomach clenched violently and she moaned as she gripped the sides of the toilet.

Finally she seemed to be done and she sank down to her knees, her hands shaking slightly. She pulled her knees to her chest and hung her head between them, forcing deep calming breaths into her lungs. Everything would be alright...it had to be. She had nothing left to lose.

...


	4. Chapter 4

_..._

_"Stupid whore! I saw the way you looked at that guy at the restaurant! You want to fuck him?" Ed's voice burned into her ear._

_She sank to the floor, tears pouring down her cheeks as she shook uncontrollably._

_"No. I was just thanking him Ed. That's all." Her voice came out weak and pitiful even to her own ears._

_Ed grabbed her by the front of her shirt and hauled her to her feet. He pinned her back against the kitchen counter, his eyes boring holes into her, his weight heavy and crushing as he continued to push against her._

_"I'm going to make you pay for that. You know that don't you? You know how you can repay me Carol?" Ed asked coldly._

_Carol shook her head, but she knew. She knew exactly how he would make her pay. He would force her to have sex with him, his way of making her remember who she belonged to. His breath was foul as it fanned across her face and he began to reach for her pants, her thighs clenching together in anticipation of what was to come. He pushed her hands away and Carol cried out as he backhanded her across the face. Panting, she struggled against him, but she couldn't move. He was too close and he was covering her, his hands all over her body._

_She screamed._

_..._

Carol took deep gulping breaths as she flew upright in the bed, her chest heaving. A dream, just a dream. She flung off the blankets that she had somehow gotten tangled into, the feel of them restricting to her. She used her feet to push them to the floor as she rubbed a hand over her face, trying to calm her beating heart.

It irritated her how much Ed could still impact her life even in his death. It made her angry to think about how weak she had been, how empty. It also made her that much more determined that she would never go through that again, ever.

She stood, smoothing down the pants that she had slept in and padded into the bathroom. She splashed her face when she was done and then headed to the kitchen to see if there was coffee. The knock at the door nearly gave her heart failure and instinctively she reached for her knife which she had kept tucked into her pants pocket while she slept. It made her feel safe, something that didn't happen much for her anymore.

She headed to the door and unlocked it, opening it just a crack. Daryl stood on the other side, dressed in a black shirt and jeans, already dressed for the day despite how early the clock said that it was. Carol stared at him, unsure of how to greet him so she just waited for him to say what he had to say.

"Made some coffee, figured you might like some. I always go into the shop kinda early so I thought I would see if you wanted to ride in with me. Figured there might be some stuff you might need from town," he said.

"That's fine. I can be dressed and ready to go in ten minutes," Carol replied.

He seemed surprised at that, but he nodded, "Alright. Take your time though. No rush."

His voice seemed thicker this morning, more of a husky tone to it as if he hadn't been up long himself. He turned to leave without a word and she shut the door back behind him, heading into the bathroom to get herself dressed.

...

Daryl watched from the garage as Carol headed down the street to the stores. She hadn't said much that morning, but then again she hadn't said much since she had pulled up to his shop. He took another drag from his cigarette as he waited for the car to rise to the top of the lift. In his opinion the car wasn't worth spending money on to fix, but he was willing to take a look at it and see if there was something he could do for it anyway. The damn thing was old and had obviously been driven a lot of miles over the years. She seemed pretty dependent on it though and he hadn't been able to bring himself to tell her that he was pretty damn sure it was the transmission.

He had been in the automotive business for years, climbing under his first car at the young age of ten and watching as his brother Merle worked on one of his many "projects". Everything that he had learned about cars had come from his brother and his brother was really the only family that he had as far as he was concerned.

Daryl could tell by looking at Carol that she was running away from something. It was written all over her face whether she realized it or not. He didn't know what she was running from though and it really wasn't his business to care. He wasn't in the habit of trying to figure people and their problems out. She was different than the women he was used to though. The way she carried herself suggested that she was wary of men or either people in general. He did kind of wonder a little.

Sighing, he stubbed out his cigarette and walked underneath her car to give it a look. He had a lot of shit to do and on top of that, he would need a new mechanic now that he had fired Red. He had known it was coming though, the bastard had already been caught getting grabby with another customer. Daryl had been willing to give him another chance though because he was good with cars, but yesterday had been the last straw. Daryl was a firm believer that you didn't put your hands on a woman uninvited. Good mechanic or not, people were always replaceable. He had learned that over the years too.

The shop had seen its share of cars and people, having been passed down to Daryl and Merle from their grandfather Norm. Daryl missed the old guy, one of the few in his family that hadn't been a raging lunatic. Any good memories of his childhood had always involved Norm and that's the main reason Daryl had stuck around. The shop had meant a lot to the old man and Daryl hated to see it sitting empty, but he didn't trust anyone other than himself or Merle to run it. Since Merle was currently doing a stint in prison that left the responsibility to Daryl. He didn't mind so much though, he had grown up around this shop and he knew it like the back of his hand.

Wiping at the sweat that was already coating his neck, he reached over to crank up the small radio to a rock station. It was going to be a long day.

...

Carol walked around the drugstore slowly, selecting a few things that she would need for later and also a few food items for the cabin. Daryl had mentioned the drugstore being just down the road a little further from the garage so that's where she had walked to first. She was surprised to see a few more buildings there and figured that this was as close to civilization as she was going to get. She noticed a blonde eyeballing her as she walked around the store with one of those little baskets hanging onto her arm. Carol ducked her head, trying to keep a low profile, but the woman still kept throwing glances her way.

Finally Carol made her way towards the counter where the woman was waiting at the register. She smiled at Carol as she began scanning her items.

"Where you headed?" The woman asked.

Carol blinked at her, not expecting the question and she could feel herself almost beginning to panic a little.

"Um...I'm having my car fixed at the garage down the street," she explained.

"Oh, okay. Yeah, Daryl's real good with cars. We're really lucky to have him. He threatens to leave Bellview at least once a month, but he's stuck here just like the rest of us." She laughed.

Carol smiled at her, relaxing some as she realized that the woman was just trying to make small talk. She paid for her purchases and accepted her bag, thanking the woman.

"I'm Andrea," she said.

Carol nodded at her. "Carol," she replied.

"Well it was nice to meet you Carol. I hope your car gets fixed soon," Andrea said.

"Thanks." Carol smiled at the woman and headed back outside into the hot Georgia heat.

...

Daryl took a step back from the car, wiping at his forehead again. Summer was just getting started good, but the heat and humidity were already getting bad. The shop fan that sat on the concrete floor did little to cool him off from underneath the car. He had the transmission lowered so at least he had that much done. It was a bitch working by himself, but sometimes life sucked that way.

Lifting his shirt up, he walked over to the fan and stood in front of it, letting the breeze hit him in the chest. He tipped his head back, enjoying the air on his sweat slicked skin even if it was warm air. He heard the sound of boots seconds before an arm slid around his neck, cutting off his air supply. Daryl stepped backwards, slipping down and out of the hold, a move he had perfected over the years. A wide grin split his face as he came face to face with his attacker.

"You haven't changed a bit Double D. You're still a fucking pussy."

Daryl shook his head, the grin never leaving his face. "And you're still fuckin' mean as hell I see," he commented.

The man shrugged his shoulders with indifference. "You know me. Never did give a damn about much." He looked around the shop, nodding his head at all of the cars, "Looks like you got a shitload of work to do. Where's all your help?"

Daryl wiped at his sweaty forehead with his rag and scoffed. "Had to fire all their asses. Either lazy as hell or don't know how to keep their hands to their self."

"Sounds to me like you could use some help."

Daryl eyed him, "You offerin'? Thought your ass moved outta town Mac. Ain't seen you around."

"Yeah well I been around. Heard about Merle gettin' locked up. That's a fucking bitch man," Mac commented.

Daryl nodded, "Pretty much. So you lookin' for a job or what?"

Mac shrugged. "Can work something out." He stared out into the lot and tilted his head curiously. "You expecting company?"

Daryl frowned, walking over next to Mac and then he sighed. "That's Carol. I'm fixin' her car."

Daryl pointed to the transmission that he had lowered out of the car and Mac eyed it momentarily, his eyes shifting back to Carol. Daryl caught the look and he threw Mac a sidelong glance. Mac winked at him and grinned as Carol walked into the shop her eyes shifting over to Mac warily.

Daryl cleared his throat. "Carol this is Mac," he said as he pointed over at Mac.

Carol smiled politely at Mac, "Hello."

Mac nodded, his gaze traveling over Carol, checking her out. It irritated him slightly that Mac was checking her out and he had to remind himself that he barely knew this woman. He didn't have any claim on her. He did notice that Carol ignored Mac, walking over to sit in one of the plastic chairs that he kept stacked in a corner.

"I'll be around in the morning Double D," Mac said and he let his gaze travel over Carol once more, turning back to Daryl with a lecherous grin.

Daryl shook his head, watching as Mac walked out of the shop and climbed into his truck, backing out into the street. His gaze flicked over to Carol who was digging through her bags. He cleared his throat, her eyes coming up to meet his.

Gesturing at the transmission he said. "This is gonna take a while. You gonna be okay sitting there? I can take you back to the cabin if you want," he offered.

She shook her head, "I'm fine."

He shrugged and went back to work, his gaze constantly being drawn to the mysterious woman who was hiding more than she let on.

...


	5. Chapter 5

...

Daryl glanced out of the window of his cabin towards his brother's place where Carol was staying. He took a long drink of his beer, thinking about the woman. She was different than most of the women around here, a little skittish sometimes, but she seemed real and not fake like all the others that came through.

He glanced down at the two steaks he had removed from the freezer and set out to marinate. His intentions had been to cook himself a steak and maybe sit outside for a bit, drinking some beers by himself, but he had taken out two steaks instead of one. Downing the last of his beer, he exited out of the back door and headed down across the path to knock on her door before he could talk himself out of it. It took a few minutes before he finally heard the locks being slid open and then she peered out at him, her hair slightly damp and hanging in reddish wisps around her face. He was momentarily taken back, having only seen her with it pulled back from her face. There was a rare beauty to her that he hadn't noticed the first time and he found himself momentarily struck deaf and dumb.

She cleared her throat and glanced around as if looking for someone else to be with him.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

He blinked and cleared his throat, "I was just thinkin' about putting some steaks on the grill. Got enough for one more if you interested?"

Carol seemed startled and she looked down at her bare feet, biting on her lip softly. Then she looked back up at him and nodded.

"Okay...thanks. Give me ten minutes?"

Daryl nodded, "Take your time. Gotta get the grill going anyway."

She nodded and he headed over to get the grill ready. He told himself that he was just doing it because he felt sorry for her and didn't want to think about her eating something from a can for dinner when he had plenty of food to spare. Except his mind kept drifting back to her slightly wet hair and bare feet. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. The last thing he needed was to start forming some sort of attraction for a woman who was just passing through.

...

"This is really good," Carol murmured as she bit into a piece of her steak. "What kind of steak is this?"

Daryl smiled softly, "Deer."

Carol paused in mid chew, her eyebrows lifting as she processed the information. She hadn't ever had deer before and she wasn't sure if she was grossed out by eating it or not. It was just about the best steak that she had ever eaten though if she overlooked the fact that it was deer.

He smirked at her expression. "Ain't gonna kill you. Good for you," he commented.

Carol slowly swallowed and took a sip of her water. "It _is_ good," she conceded, "I guess it's just difficult for me to think about eating a deer. I liked that movie."

Daryl frowned, pausing with the tip of his beer bottle poised at his lips, "What movie?"

"Bambi," Carol replied.

Daryl eyed her for several minutes and then he snorted, the snort turning into a chuckle. She watched him, a small smile of amusement playing on her face. He looked so boyish when he laughed, the corners of his mouth crinkling a little. It changed his whole demeanor from the gruff mechanic to that of a relaxed young guy. He caught her eye as he drank down another sip of beer and she looked away quickly. As nice as he was and as nice as _this_ was, she couldn't afford to form any sort of attachments.

It had only been a couple of days, but she didn't have a TV in her cabin so she had no way of knowing what was going on in the world. They were probably looking for her by now, if they hadn't started already. The whole thought turned her stomach and she took another long drink of her water. She knew she was delusional in thinking that she was going to get away with murdering Ed even though it wasn't really about getting away with it. The whole point had been to make the violence stop, to end the abuse and she had succeeded. Anything that happened from here on out would just have to happen. She would accept her punishment when it came and that would be it. She almost laughed at how screwed up her life was right now.

"So that guy Mac - is he related to you?" Carol asked, trying to steer the conversation into something neutral.

Daryl chuckled, chewing on a bite of his steak, "Mac's my cousin. Good enough guy. Used to have a problem with drugs but my brother Merle helped him kick the habit. He's a little brash, but it's all he's ever known. Any time I've ever needed somethin' though he's been there. Can't say that about a lot of people these days."

Carol mulled that over, thinking about this strange man who had taken her in and given her a place to stay without knowing anything about her. It hadn't gone unnoticed by her that he hadn't asked her anything personal really. Not that she wanted to answer questions about herself, but she had been prepared for it just in case. The fact that he hadn't made her think that maybe he sensed something about her and that worried her a little.

"He favors you a little," Carol said.

Daryl raised an eyebrow at that statement and then made a face, "Maybe. If you cross your eyes and squint a lil' bit."

Carol snorted, shocking herself with the laugh that bubbled up from inside of her. She immediately felt a small piece of the meat lodge into her windpipe. Before she could make a gesture, Daryl was out of his chair and pounding on her back. She felt the meat fly back up and she coughed, causing it to come out and drop to the ground underneath them. Daryl's hand came to rest on her shoulder as he leaned over to peer at her, his face a mask of concern. He handed her her glass of water and waited until she had drank several sips, the color returning to her face.

"You alright?"

Carol swallowed and nodded. "I think so. Thanks." She pulled her shoulder away from his hand as she leaned backwards in her chair.

He released his grip and looked her over again before nodding. Walking back over to his chair, he sat and they grew quiet as the last light of the day began to trickle away. It wouldn't be long before they wouldn't be able to see their plates, but Carol wasn't hungry anymore. She tucked her legs underneath her in the chair, trying to remember the last time that she had sat outside with a man and not felt threatened. She still had her guard up, but she didn't feel like there was any threat to Daryl at all.

Ed would have never sat outside with her and he hadn't ever liked her being outside too much. Carol actually quite enjoyed the outdoors, but she had just never had the opportunity to spend much time outside. It was just another thing on a long list of things that he had taken from her, but not anymore. She was free from that nightmare now.

"It's peaceful here," she commented softly.

He hummed low in his throat. "Yep. That's how I like it."

She gave him a sidelong glance. There were things on her mind, things she wanted to ask him about, but she wasn't sure how to bring it up.

"Your brother...is he going to be away for a while?" She asked.

"Why you ask?" He propped his feet up into the chair next to him, leaning back and crossing his arms behind his head.

"I..." She glanced down at the ground before forcing herself to look him in the eye. Looking down had been something that the old Carol had done with Ed, but not this Carol. "I was wondering if you would be interested in letting me rent it for a while...at least until I find myself a job so that I can get another car. I don't think that I'm going to have the money to get this one fixed."

He rocked his foot back and forth, staring off into the distance before speaking.

"I don't mind you staying there, ain't gotta pay me any rent," Daryl replied.

Carol shook her head firmly, "No. I will not stay there for free. I won't do it."

He lit a cigarette, the tip glowing cherry red in the dim light, "You're a stubborn one, ain't ya?"

Carol shrugged. "I just don't take hand outs," she replied.

"I can understand that. There's an old car up at the shop you can use to put in applications if you want."

Carol was taken aback. She may have been hidden from a lot of the real world during her time with Ed, but she had never met anyone like Daryl. She had always thought that all men were basically the same. They all wanted sex and they would use whatever means necessary to get it. Although, she didn't get that vibe from Daryl nor did she feel threatened in any way. In all actuality, he was really kind of good looking in a rugged kind of way. His hair was a little longer, falling slightly into his piercing blue eyes when he talked, but it seemed to suit him.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She finally asked.

He took another draw from his cigarette, blowing out a small cloud of smoke into the air.

"You prefer I didn't?" He asked in a low voice.

Carol blinked and then shook her head, shifting around in her chair a little.

"No I didn't say that. It's just...well...in my experience men aren't usually nice to women unless they have ulterior motives."

He sighed and sat up in his chair, blue eyes turning to hers. "It ain't a habit of mine ta go about making women do things they don't wanna do. I'm nice to you cause you look like you could use a lil' bit of nice in your life. I been in a situation similar to yours before and I know how alone it can make you feel."

His eyes spoke volumes and she wondered just how much he really knew about how her life had been that he could relate to.

Carol swallowed. "What are you talking about? I never mentioned my situation." She whispered, almost afraid of what he would say.

He shrugged, "You didn't have to. I been readin' your body language. All the signs of abuse are there, but only if you know what to look for. Like I said, I been there myself. Somebody's hurt you bad and if I had to guess, I would say it's either a boyfriend or a husband."

...


	6. Chapter 6

...

Daryl watched from the garage as Carol pulled out of the parking lot, headed to go put in applications. The car she was driving was one he had towed and the owner had never come to pay the bill. Daryl was going to fix some minor cosmetic issues on it and put it up for sale. After the car was left at his shop for so long it legally became his property and all he needed to do now was apply to get a title for it. He toyed with the idea of selling it to Carol, letting her make payments on it whenever she could because it was actually a very mechanically sound car. He knew because he had checked it over thoroughly himself.

She had been ready when he had knocked on her door this morning and they had both ridden to the garage in relative silence. Silence didn't bother him though and he was glad that she wasn't one of those women who felt the need to fill the silence with mindless chatter. That kind of thing really got on his nerves.

"You fuckin' her?" Mac's voice cut across the garage to him, gesturing to the tail lights of Carol's car.

Daryl shot him a look. "No I ain't fuckin' her! What the hell?"

Mac shrugged, "You got that look in your eye."

Daryl frowned, "What look?"

"That look you get when you see something you fucking like," Mac replied.

Daryl watched him as he bent over the bumper of the truck that he was working on, working on replacing the spark plugs for a customer. He had on the ugliest pair of gray coveralls that Daryl had ever seen, but then again Mac wasn't your usual type of person. Daryl liked to think the man was a different breed altogether. The thing that you had to understand about Mac was that he talked a lot of shit. You just had to learn what to ignore and what to take seriously. When provoked, Mac was a formidable enemy, but if you were lucky enough to gain his trust, then he had your back forever.

"Customer," Mac muttered.

Daryl sighed and watched as a car pulled up into the lot. He walked to the edge of the garage doors, smoking a cigarette before he got to work. He smirked when he saw a familiar blonde exit the car and head for the shop. Leaning against the doorway he watched as she approached.

"That ain't your car," Daryl remarked, gesturing to the unfamiliar car she had driven.

"I know. It's Mr. Donald's car. He didn't have time to bring it down so he asked if I would bring it for him," Andrea replied.

"You still workin' at the drugstore too?" Daryl asked.

Andrea nodded. "Yeah, but today is my day off from there. If I could find somebody to take my place running errands for Mr. Donalds then I wouldn't feel so bad about quitting, but I just can't handle two jobs anymore. Plus I got a raise at the drugstore," she explained.

"Might know somebody that could take your place," Daryl offered.

"Who?"

"Just some woman that's staying at Merle's place for a while. She's new in town, you probably wouldn't know her."

"Carol?" Andrea asked.

"I take that back. Guess you two done met then. Forgot that not a damn thing goes on in this town that nobody don't know about," Daryl shook his head as he put out his cigarette. "What's goin' on with the car?"

"It needs a tire on the front driver's side. Wires are showing," Andrea responded. "And I met Carol yesterday. She came in to get a few things. She seems like a really nice woman," she smiled.

"Stay the hell outta my business Andrea," Daryl growled in warning.

Andrea was something of a romantic and she was always looking to set people up together. She had been around here all her life just as he had. Once upon a time, she had flirted with him thinking they could get something going, but there hadn't been anything there and they had decided they were better off as friends. She was always trying to set him up with someone and it drove Daryl crazy. He could find his own women if and when he got ready for one. He didn't need anyone's help with that.

"Hi Mac," Andrea said suddenly and Daryl glanced up to see Mac give Andrea a once over.

"Andrea," Mac replied tersely.

Daryl watched with an amused smile as Andrea sauntered over to where Mac was working and leaned against the car watching him. As far as he knew the two of them had never hooked up, but there had always been a tension between them. He wondered how Mac was going to react to her being there. He wasn't one for people in his space, same as Daryl.

"You working here now?" She asked as she ran a finger over the car mirror.

"Nah, I'm just over here fuckin' around. What the hell you think I'm doing? Jerking off?"

"You don't have to be such a dick Mac," Andrea said.

Mac snorted, "And you don't have to be such a cunt."

The two of them stared at each other, the sexual tension so thick you could almost cut it with a knife. Daryl didn't understand why they kept dancing around each other. Andrea seemed like she might be the type of woman who could take Mac on if he gave her a chance.

"You two just need to fuckin' do it already," Daryl tossed over his shoulder at them, drawing their stares as he dragged his jack out to the car to change the tire.

...

Carol hadn't realized one major problem she would have when she went about the task of finding a job. She would have to provide her driver's license and possibly do a background check which she couldn't afford to do. She had picked up a handful of applications though and now she wasn't sure if she was going to be able to turn them back in. She was scared about how things were going to play out and Ed's death was haunting her. A part of her wanted to turn herself in, to fess up to her crimes and accept her punishment. She just wasn't sure that she was ready to give up her newfound freedom yet. Emotionally exhausted, she parked the car back into the lot at the garage, grateful that Daryl had let her use it. Gathering her things together, she entered the garage looking around for Daryl. It was quiet and that was abnormal for a garage.

She couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't alone however and when she heard a noise behind her she whipped around, flinging her arm out to deflect against a possible attacker. Strong fingers closed over her arm and slowly pushed her hand away. The guy Daryl had introduced her to named Mac stared at her, his eyes seeming to read her mind.

"You always go around fucking attacking people?" He asked.

Carol swallowed down her fear at being alone with this strange man. The last thing she wanted was to let on that she was nervous.

"Do you make it a habit to sneak up on people?" Carol retorted.

He shrugged, passing by her to gather up some tools strewn around the shop.

"If I was sneaking up on you, you wouldn't have had the time to fend me off," Mac replied. He glanced over his shoulder at her, "You're awfully jumpy. Somebody after you or something?"

Carol averted her eyes, shuffling through her bags as she tried to appear busy.

"Of course not," she snapped.

He followed her gaze as she stared out towards the parking lot. "Daryl will be back soon. Went to help someone with their car."

Carol shrugged, feigning disinterest, "Okay."

Mac grabbed a dingy plastic chair and drug it over in front of her, straddling it backwards. He lit up a cigarette, watching her as he smoked.

"So what's your story?" He asked.

"Has anyone ever told you to mind your own business?"

A slow smile spread over his face, "And you think that's stopped me? Come on, it's boring as fuck around here. Tell me a story. Who you running from?" He prodded.

Just as she was scrambling for some sort of reply, they heard the sound of tires crunching over gravel and she was relieved to see Daryl heading towards the shop. She had figured that Mac would move away from her, but he continued to sit in the same spot, nodding at Daryl as he entered. Daryl glanced at her, their eyes locking briefly before she averted her gaze feeling somewhat shy.

She wanted to tell him. In that moment she wanted to tell Daryl, someone who was still practically a stranger to her, about what she had done. It felt like a heavy weight on her chest and it was weighing her down more and more with each passing day. It wasn't fair to him, harboring a murderer and not even knowing it.

He went inside of the office and came back out a few minutes later, stopping next to her chair, her gaze flicking up to his.

"Fixing to knock off. Thought about grabbing somethin' to eat at the diner if you interested?" He asked.

She nodded, "Sure. That sounds great."

Mac snorted, leaning over to scrape out his cigarette on the concrete shop floor. "I'm not hungry, but thanks for fucking asking."

"Didn't know I had to extend an invitation. Bring your ass on if you're coming then," Daryl said.

Mac stared at Carol and then shook his head slowly. "Nah, I'm gonna pass. Got shit to do."

Carol looked away from his gaze. He was a hard one to figure out. When he stared at her like that, it made her think that he could tell exactly what she was thinking and what she had done. It was unnerving to say the least.

"Suit yourself then. You can go on and head out. I'll lock up," Daryl tossed over his shoulder as he walked around the shop.

Mac stood up from his chair. "I'm out then. You open tomorrow?"

"Nah. Don't open on weekends unless there's an emergency. Enjoy your weekend and I'll see you on Monday. Thanks for giving me a hand," Daryl said.

"Yep." Mac turned to her with a wink, "Be seeing you around Carol."

She nodded politely and watched as he left the building. Feeling some of the tension leave her body she watched Daryl make his way around the shop, closing the large shop doors and latching them shut. With the doors shut, it threw the garage into relative darkness and she stood up, not liking the fact that she couldn't see. Carol tried to focus on the sounds that he was making, telling herself that they would be leaving in a minute. Then it grew quiet and she couldn't hear him so she stepped away from her chair, her hand fluttering around the pocket that held her knife. Taking another step she listened for him and when she heard a soft step close behind her she turned, running herself into a hard chest. Involuntarily her fingers curled into the material of his shirt.

"Hey, you alright?" His gruff voice drifted down to her.

She took several deep breaths, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart down. She realized then how tightly she was gripping his shirt and her fingers loosened, smoothing over the material absently. His breath hitched at her movements and she stopped, realizing how it must feel.

"I'm fine," she whispered, her voice a bit shaky.

She could feel his warm breath on her face and she involuntarily tipped her face up to his.

"You sure?" His voice had deepened and its husky tone sent little shivers through her body.

She swallowed and took a step backwards, putting a little space between them.

"I'm sure."

"You ready to go?"

"Lead the way."

...


	7. Chapter 7

...

Daryl grabbed up some beef jerky, slipping it into his pocket as he shouldered his bow. It was early out, the first tinges of pink just casting its rosy glow over the horizon. Taking one last sip of his coffee he sighed, letting the warmth and caffeine flow through his veins. It was the perfect morning for a hunt and he couldn't wait to get out there. Stepping out, he took in his surroundings, trying to decide which way he wanted to head. The best part about living out in the middle of nowhere was that he could basically step outside of his door and walk right into the woods. Life didn't get any better than that to him.

He had just lit himself a cigarette when he heard the faint sound of a scream. Every hair on his body stood on end as he paused to see if it occurred again so that he could judge which direction it came from. Then he heard her yell and he knew. _Carol._

He ran the short distance to her cabin door and turned the knob even though he already knew that it would be locked. Thinking fast, he stepped over to the window that Merle had broken the latch on once when he had gotten drunk and lost his key. Giving the window a hard shove with the palm of his hand he was rewarded with a screech as it slowly slid open. Removing his crossbow he set one foot inside before bringing the rest of his body in and then his crossbow last so that it wouldn't catch on the window.

He immediately brought the bow up, his eyes wary as he scanned the small living room. No one had ever bothered him out here before so he wasn't really sure what to expect. Everyone in town knew better than to mess with the Dixon's and Daryl preferred it that way. Merle had given them quite the reputation and Daryl hadn't ever bothered trying to correct anyone.

Satisfied that the living room was empty of threats, he briefly scanned the kitchen before walking to her bedroom door. He raised his hand to knock, the cabin oddly silent when the door was flung open and Carol came out swinging. Daryl, having tensed at the silence was prepared for anything and he ducked on reflex, narrowly missing the lamp that she swung at his head.

"It's just me!" He said loudly, "It's Daryl."

Glancing up at her, he took in her wide, frightened, eyes and her heaving chest. She looked terrified and he glanced into the open doorway behind her, looking for some sort of threat.

Carol slowly lowered the lamp, her hands visibly shaking and she sank to the floor. Daryl watched her uncertainly, still trying to feel out the situation. He slowly stood, leaving his bow on the ground and he cautiously took a step towards her. He could read the panic and terror in her eyes. He had seen that same look reflected in deer, the terror and uncertainty that something bad was about to take place. It hadn't ever bothered him though, until now.

Keeping his eyes on her, he knelt slowly down beside her and reached for the lamp. Her fingers involuntarily tightened around the base.

"It's alright. I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just gonna set this lamp over here on the table, okay?" He asked softly.

Carol looked at him almost as if she were looking through him and then she nodded, releasing the lamp into his possession. He set it safely to the side and then looked back over at her. He waited, knowing that she wasn't fully calm yet.

He was slowly piecing together what might have taken place. The way he saw it there weren't any immediate threats within the cabin so she must have had some sort of nightmare. It was the only thing that he could figure. Daryl had had his share of nightmares over the years and he knew from his own personal experience that some of them could be really vivid.

Finally her breathing seemed to return to normal and she looked at him, looking more like the Carol he had first met.

"I'm sorry...I thought...I didn't mean to swing at you," she whispered.

He shrugged, "Wasn't the first time I've ever been swung at although it was the first time someone ever tried it with a lamp."

A small smile tugged on the corners of her lips and then disappeared just as quickly. She licked her lips and ran her fingers through her hair as if she suddenly realized how intimate the situation almost seemed. He pushed himself to his feet and picked up his bow. Without thinking, he stuck out a hand to her and after a moment's hesitation she placed her small hand in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

"Thought you might have seen yourself a snake or something with the way you were screaming. Didn't mean to intrude on your privacy," he offered.

She shook her head softly, her arms wrapping around herself, "No. It was just a bad dream."

He nodded, glancing out of the window to the daylight that was quickly creeping upon them. Shifting his feet, he swallowed. He really wanted to go hunting, but now he was feeling kind of bad about leaving her here after that.

"I don't mean to keep you. If you have something to do..."

He glanced back at her, the words slipping out of his mouth without thinking. "Was going to go hunting. You can come along if you like," he offered.

Her eyes flickered to his bow and she bit her lip. He waited on her to turn down his offer, knowing that hunting would be the last thing that she would probably want to do.

"Okay," she said, surprising him. "I can be ready in five minutes?"

Nodding, he headed towards the door to wait outside for her.

"I'll be outside when you're ready."

...

Daryl resigned himself quickly to the fact that he wasn't going to be actually hunting anything this morning. It wasn't that Carol was loud or even talkative, in fact, he had to keep glancing behind him to make sure that she was still there. Her mere presence alone was proving to be more of a distraction than he had anticipated. He counted numerous squirrels and even one deer that he missed simply because his mind was on other things.

Finally he came to a stop and pulled out the beef jerky, offering some of it to Carol. She accepted it with a small smile and they stood in the middle of the woods chewing on the jerky and not speaking. He kept glancing at her, wanting to ask her about that morning, but he kept his mouth shut instead.

"I'm messing up your hunting, aren't I?" Carol asked.

Daryl shot her a look and shook his head, "Nah, it ain't you. I more or less just come out here because it's quiet."

"It is...very quiet," she commented.

Daryl shoved a piece of jerky into his mouth, letting the taste linger for a minute before chewing. He wiped his hands on his pants and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry about this morning," Carol said quickly as he opened his mouth.

He paused, not really expecting that.

"No big deal," he replied. When she looked off in the distance he added, "I used to have nightmares."

She whipped back around to him, regarding him intently, "You did?"

He nodded, "Been a while, but yeah. Whatever's bothering you, it'll eventually fade. The nightmares...they don't last forever."

"I'm not so sure about that." She laughed dryly, "This one isn't going to just go away."

"I was right then. Somebody hurt you?"

She looked at him, her expression one of such sadness that he felt the urge to comfort her somehow, something that he had never felt before with a woman. She looked away just as quickly and she was quiet for so long that Daryl thought she wasn't going to respond.

"Yes," she whispered.

Daryl reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette while he waited. He knew better than anyone what happened to a person when they kept stuff hidden inside of them. He had swallowed down more than his own share of misery and hurt. Merle knew and he suspected that Mac also knew, but Daryl had never come right out and said anything to anyone. He leaned against one of the pines and smoked his cigarette, waiting on her to either keep going or decide that she wasn't going to say anything else.

"Have you ever hurt someone?" She asked suddenly.

Daryl blinked at her, her question catching him off guard.

"On purpose?" He asked carefully.

She nodded, her eyes coming up to meet his. He studied her, trying to picture her being capable of hurting anyone if that was what she was hinting at.

"I've been in fights before. Reckon' I've hurt lots of people. Used to hit my brother Merle in the head a lot, but that was just letting off steam," he replied.

She clenched her fists next to her sides, digging the toe of her sneaker into the soft dirt.

"How old are you Daryl?"

He had to think about that one for a minute, "Twenty-eight."

"I've done something really bad," she said suddenly.

He scraped his cigarette out on the bark of the tree and placed the butt into his pocket to dispose of later. He pushed away from the tree and walked closer to her, studying her.

"You hurt somebody?" He asked gruffly, already sensing the answer to his question.

She nodded mutely.

"Who did you hurt?"

Her breathing hitched and she rubbed her chest as if it were causing her great pains. To her credit she didn't cry though.

Time seemed to slow down as he watched her work through whatever it was that she was going through. He almost took a step forward and told her to forget about it, not to worry about dredging up the past. Whatever she had done couldn't be _that_ bad and he wasn't one to judge people for their past. He had his own personal demons so he knew all about things that could haunt you.

"I can't...I just," she said suddenly. She ran her fingers through her hair. "I can't carry this around any longer, I just can't! This is not who I am, at least, I don't think this is who I am. I'm so confused!"

He did take a step towards her then, but she backed away from him and he stopped, watching her. She held up a hand to him, her eyes pleading with him.

"Please don't. I'm barely holding on and I need to get this out."

Carol folded her hands together tightly, her skin pale in the morning sunshine.

"Take your time." He spoke softly so as not to startle her.

"I...I killed someone." She glanced at him with wide eyes as she confessed, "I killed my husband."

...


	8. Chapter 8

...

Daryl looked at her, tilting his head to the side as his brain processed the words that she had just spoken. _She killed her husband?_

"Are you fuckin' with me right now?" He asked softly, "Cause I'm having a hard time believing that you offed somebody."

Carol slowly shook her head no. "I was married to a man who beat me for five years." Her voice was low and rough.

Daryl reached into his pocket for another cigarette, eyeing her as he lit it. So he had been right about her having a past of abuse, but he hadn't expected the curveball she had thrown at him about murder. He couldn't quite wrap his mind around that. He took several draws off of the cigarette letting the smoke swirl around him as he chewed on her words.

She stood still the whole time, her eyes occasionally darting from him to the forest surrounding them. Her body was tense and reminded him of a deer at the first sign of noise, when their whole body stilled right before they fled the scene. She was terrified right now; he could feel the terror coming off of her in waves. Daryl didn't want her to run though and he was surprised by his sudden want to help her, but he remained quiet, waiting her out.

"It...it started with little slurs here and there, comments about my weight or my clothing. It escalated into him grabbing me so tightly that it would leave bruises and then it was only a short time before he hit me for the first time. He backhanded me across the cheek so hard that it jarred my teeth together. The..." She paused and swallowed, seeming to gather her thoughts, "The hits continued over the years, increasing in frequency and strength."

Daryl blew out a long cloud of smoke, his eyes narrowing at the thought of some bastard of a man hitting on an innocent woman. Daryl Dixon was a lot of things and most things weren't what most would consider appropriate or polite, but he had _never_ believed in putting his hands on a woman in anger _._

 _Five years._ No wonder she had snapped. Five years of abuse of any kind seemed like enough to make even the most timid of people snap.

"What changed?" He asked suddenly.

She didn't pretend not to understand, "I got tired of existing, of watching my life pass me by, watching myself get torn down to nothing. I wanted out and if I had thought there would have been another way then I would have taken it. He wouldn't have let me live unless I killed him first. I said goodbye to the beaten, weak, and defenseless Carol of before and I took back my life."

"Fuck!" Daryl hissed as the tip of his cigarette burned down too low and scorched his fingers, having been too engrossed in her story to remember that he still held it.

He dropped it to the ground and stomped on it with his foot, tamping it out. He realized then that she was waiting for some sort of reaction from him, some sort of reply whether it be good or bad.

"They looking for you?"

"I don't know. I didn't wait around to find out," she admitted.

He grunted, letting the wheels turn in his head, mentally sorting things, filing bits of info away for later.

"If you want me to leave I understand. I don't want to cause you any trouble...I honestly don't really know what I'm doing anymore. I only planned this thing out so far." Her face burned red. "This isn't who I am...I'm not a killer."

He let those words seep into him. He knew deep down that she wasn't a killer. He could look into her eyes and watch her body language to tell. Even if he couldn't, the nightmares spoke for themselves. Those kind of things only haunted you when you felt guilty. He knew that better than anyone.

"No. I don't want you to leave." He motioned back the way they had come. "We need to head back though. I have some things to do."

...

The moaning and grunting noises coming from the rusty trailer made Daryl roll his eyes as he raised his hand to knock sharply on the door twice. There was a muffled curse and then heavy footsteps shook the trailer briefly before the door was flung open.

"Fuck you want D? Kind of busy right now." Mac tilted his head and spit over the side of the porch, keeping the door cracked open.

Daryl tried to ignore the fact that the other man was only half dressed, wearing a pair of gray sweatpants. He kept his expression intense, knowing that Mac would pick up on it as he motioned for him to step outside.

"You still know them people you were telling me about? The ones that owe you a favor?" 

Mac eyed him, glancing around suspiciously as if he thought that Daryl might be simply fucking with him.

"Yeah," he replied gruffly.

"Good. Because I need a favor."

"Name it."

...

Mac walked back into the trailer after Daryl left, thinking about why he would want him to call in that favor. He hadn't told him much, just edged around the reasoning, but Mac knew it had to do with that woman that was staying with him.

He had thought a lot about her. There was something about her, something deeper under the surface going on there that he could sense. Mac was good at sensing things, his senses having gotten him out of a lot of tough situations over the years.

Scratching his balls through his sweatpants, he cracked open the old fridge and grabbed a beer from the inside, slamming it back closed with his foot.

"Mac? Who was at the door?" She appeared at the corner of the fridge, leaning deliciously naked against it.

"None of your fucking business that's who." He took a long swallow from his beer and looked her up and down feeling himself grow hard. "I tell you to get out of bed?" His voice was low and husky.

She shook her head and bit her lip as he advanced towards her. Grabbing her long blonde locks, he tugged, tipping her head back so that he could nip at her throat. His free hand reached behind her and smacked her ass, causing her to yelp.

"Dammit Mac, not so hard!" She hissed between her teeth.

He chuckled as his mouth closed over the pulse at her throat. "That wasn't what you were screaming just ten minutes ago bitch," he said.

His finger slipped into her still slick folds and she whimpered. He removed his finger and slipped it between his lips, tasting her. Looking at her, he felt his eyes darken as his mood changed. She must have sensed it too because she began to slowly slink backwards as he stalked towards her.

She broke eye contact first, turning around to laugh and make a run for it. He let her think she could get away by giving her a head start before catching up to her in the bedroom, crashing into her so that they both landed on the bed with him on top. He quickly pinned her arms above her head with one hand, his eyes dark and full of sinful promises.

"Now where the fuck were we?" He growled.

...

Carol knew as soon as she heard the knock at the door that it was Daryl. She had heard his truck pull up and had already checked to make sure from the window. He had left for a bit earlier, telling her that he had some things to take care of. She didn't know what things, but for some reason she trusted that he wouldn't rat her out.

Opening the door she let him in, closing it securely behind him as she surveyed the pizza box that he was carrying. He cleared a spot on the counter and placed the box down, digging around in a cabinet before producing a bottle of something that resembled whiskey. He opened another cabinet and removed two shotglasses, filling them both with the dark liquid. He crossed to her and held out the shot to her without a word.

She hesitated for a second, her eyes flicking to his. He nodded at her and she silently accepted the glass. Keeping his eyes on hers he lifted the shot to his lips and threw back his head, drinking it all down in one gulp. Grimacing, he shook his head as the alcohol worked its way through him.

"Figured we might need something for nerves. If you don't want to you ain't gotta drink it, but it might help settle some of that shake you got," he commented.

Carol stared down at her hands, surprised to see that they were indeed shaking slightly. She hadn't even paid it any attention, but apparently he had noticed. Closing her eyes, she repeated the same action that he had, drinking the shot in one gulp. It burned going down her throat and she coughed as she handed him back the glass. The whiskey warmed its way down her throat, settling its warmth in her belly.

Daryl made his way back into the kitchen and put the bottle back under the counter before opening the pizza box.

"Hungry?" He asked her as he lifted a slice right out of the box and took a bite.

She studied him with somewhat of an amused expression which surprised her. She hadn't thought that she would be able to find anything amusing for a long time if she ever did again, but Daryl was something of an enigma to her. He wasn't like any of the other men she had ever been around.

"Starving," she replied.

He reached into the box as she approached and handed her a slice of pizza, "Didn't know what you liked so I ordered the one I usually get. Best pizza in town," he said and then he snorted, " _Only_ fuckin' pizza in town."

Carol felt a smile tug at her lips and then she snickered, shaking her head at him. He turned to her with an amused expression.

"Liquid courage," he murmured.

"What?"

"Whiskey gives you courage, helps with your nerves," he explained around a mouthful of pizza.

She had flashes of Ed when he had been drinking a lot of beer and she quickly tried to shove the images from her mind.

"Where...where you went...did it have something to do with me?"

He shoved the last bite of his pizza in his mouth, staring around the room as he chewed.

Finally he swallowed and nodded, "Yeah."

Carol was stumped. She didn't understand why this man, who was still virtually a stranger to her in every way was trying to help her. _Didn't he understand that she had killed someone?_ She picked a piece of pepperoni from her slice of pizza as she regarded him.

"Why are you helping me?" 

His piercing blue eyes met hers and in them she could see that he was carrying his own anguish and demons. It startled yet intrigued her at the same time.

"I know what it's like to...be in a tough spot."

Carol swallowed. "I can't let you get caught up in this," she insisted.

He shrugged, "I was caught up in this from the moment you walked into my shop. I can help you...if you'll let me."

She bit her lip, the rest of her pizza resting between her fingers, forgotten. _Did she trust him? And if she did trust him, was it fair for her to bring him into her mess? What if he really could help her?_

He was suddenly next to her and she lifted her face to his, staring at him, trying to figure him out. Good things didn't normally happen to her so she was a bit wary of the whole situation. It seemed too _easy_ to just let someone else take over and help her. Did she dare?

"Let me help you Carol," he whispered, his eyes burning into hers.

She found herself drawing strength from him or from the whiskey, she wasn't sure. But she nodded, allowing him to help her, "Okay."

...


	9. Chapter 9

...

Carol lay in bed the next morning thinking about everything that was going on in her life and how kind Daryl was for helping her when he really wasn't obligated to at all. She had heard him leaving early this morning, but she had decided to stay back at the cabin today, not really wanting to just hang around the shop all day and possibly get in the way. Despite everything, she felt comfortable in the cabin to a certain degree. She wouldn't let her guard down, but she didn't feel any immediate threats either.

Daryl hadn't ever said how he planned on helping her and Carol hadn't slept much thinking about it. She felt like a horrible sort of person for accepting his help when it could very possibly get him into trouble. He had insisted that he wasn't worried about anything and she had no choice but to trust him. She had no one else, no family, and certainly no friends to call upon.

Slipping from the bed, she padded into the bathroom and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water rain down over her body. Even with this heavy weight hanging over her, she had never felt so free as she did now. She no longer worried about making a mistake or pissing someone off. She was her own boss now and she answered to no one anymore. She was no longer the scared, battered, and abused woman who lived inside of her own shell of a body. She could make her own choices now without fear of repercussion and that was worth its weight in gold.

She stepped out of the shower and changed into clean clothes, heading over to the kitchen to make some coffee. She sighed, leaning back against the counter as she the aroma of fresh coffee began wafting through the cabin. She tensed at the sound of a vehicle approaching and she walked to the window to peer out of the blinds.

The truck looked familiar to her, but she couldn't place where she had seen it until the driver stepped out. Carol watched Mac curiously as he bypassed Daryl's back door and headed to her cabin. He was wearing the same grey coveralls that she had seen him wearing around the shop last time, but this time they were pushed down and tied around his waist, revealing a plain black shirt.

She grabbed up her knife because it made her feel better and slipped it into her pocket just in case. She didn't know Mac very well and even though he was Daryl's family she wasn't going to let her guard down around him. She opened the door the second he began to knock, but she didn't move aside for him to enter.

"Is there something I can help you with?" She asked, "Daryl already left."

He smirked, "Ain't here to see Daryl. I'm here to see you. Gonna invite me in?"

Carol crossed her arms, not moving from her place in front of the doorway.

"Why would you be here to see me?" She asked carefully.

He narrowed his eyes, "If I'm going to help you out of this shit you've got yourself into, there's a few things I need to know first."

Carol's eyes widened in surprise. So that's where Daryl had gone. He had gone to see Mac. She wondered how much Daryl had told him. Stepping aside, she allowed him to enter before shutting the door behind him.

He immediately crossed over to one of the chairs and took a seat, propping his feet up on a coffee table as though he were totally at home there. It crossed her mind that he had probably been inside of the cabin dozens of times considering it was Daryl's brother's place and that would make him Mac's cousin too. She took a seat in one of the chairs opposite him and waited.

"So tell me what happened," he stated, his piercing blue eyes staring her down.

She fleetingly wondered if everyone in Daryl's family had the same piercing blue eyes.

"I..." Carol began, "I don't really know where to start."

Mac's eyes locked onto hers and he shrugged, "Start from the beginning."

Carol inhaled deeply, her mind working through her past. She really hated talking about it, but she let out a deep breath and let it flow. She told Mac everything, skimming over the moment when she had first gotten hit to the very last when she had shot Ed. The whole time she talked, she noticed that his expression never changed although his eyes followed her, the only real indication that he was even listening. Maybe the real thing that bothered her about Mac was that he was so closed in that she couldn't seem to get a good read on him like she could with Daryl. There was an entirely different vibe to Mac.

When she finished she actually felt a little better. It was almost as if a weight had been lifted from her chest the more she talked about it. She didn't have to go through this alone, carrying this secret around with her anymore.

Mac sat up suddenly, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his thighs, "I was right about you."

Carol's eyes darted up to his from where she had been looking around, "Excuse me?"

He smirked. "I had a feeling about you. You don't take any shit...I like that."

Carol laughed dryly. "Did you miss the first thirty minutes of my story? I stayed with a man for years who beat me. I wouldn't exactly call that not taking any _shit_ ," she said.

"You're wrong," Mac said.

He stood up and crossed over to the fridge, opening it and helping himself to a soda that was sitting inside. If Carol hadn't been so blindsided by his comments then she might have thought him blunt to just go into someone's fridge uninvited.

Mac popped the top on the soda as he walked back into the living room and he paused to chug down half of it before leaning against the wall.

"You didn't pussy out like a lot of people would have. Shit like that takes grit. You fucking killed a man...You took care of business and showed him that you weren't one to be messed with. I know grown fucking men who wouldn't be able to handle shit like that," Mac commented.

Carol was...perplexed, to say the least. It seemed as if he was complimenting her on how she had handled the situation, but then she wasn't entirely sure. How did one compliment you for killing someone?

She shook her head, "I was stupid and I'm going to go to jail for it."

He scowled, letting out a burp and wiping his mouth on his sleeve as he regarded her. Walking over to her suddenly, she shrank back in her seat slightly as he stopped in front of her, his eyes trained onto hers.

"Then he would still be alive, putting his hands on you again and fucking hitting you like a goddamn piece of shit. You want that life back?" Mac asked in a low voice.

Carol stared at him, realizing what exactly he was saying. She didn't want that life back. Yes, she had snapped, but she had been provoked and just maybe it didn't make her that awful of a person. Slowly, she shook her head no.

He smiled then, but it wasn't like Daryl's smile had been. There was an underlying coldness to Mac's smile. It didn't seem directed at her, but it was there regardless.

"Then it was fucking worth it," he said firmly.

Standing up and moving away from her, he tossed his can into the garbage and headed towards the door. Carol stood up and followed him.

"Wait!" 

He paused as he opened the door, lifting an eyebrow at her in question.

"Why...I mean, what happens now? How are you supposed to help me?" She had so many questions.

He smirked. "You just handle your shit here with Double D and let me handle the hard shit." He reached into his pocket for a cigarette and lit it, letting a puff of smoke curl from his mouth. "I know what I need to know. If I need to ask you anything else I know where to find you. I find out something I think you need to know, then I'll pass it on."

Carol watched from the doorway as he headed towards his truck. He stopped halfway there and turned towards her.

"You fucking take care of him and we'll take care of you," he said.

He stared at her as if waiting for some sort of confirmation and Carol didn't know what to do so she just nodded. She wouldn't think of hurting Daryl so she didn't know why Mac seemed concerned. Daryl was her friend and that was the extent of their relationship. Right?

...

Daryl drove up in his yard after work, tired from working underneath cars all day. He sat in his truck for several minutes, staring at the light coming from Carol's cabin. _Christ._ She had barely been there a week and he was already referring to it as Carol's cabin.

When Mac had gotten to the shop earlier, Daryl had wanted to ask him about everything Carol had told him, but he didn't. He figured that if Carol wanted him to know, then she would tell him and he wasn't going to go around prying unless she offered. He had known Mac was going to talk to her though because Mac had told him. He had been okay with that because he trusted Mac. The man had a way of getting information out of people without barely trying.

Mac had been a constant in his life just as his brother had, except for the period that he had disappeared off of the radar before suddenly showing up a few days ago. Growing up, it had almost been as if the three of them were brothers instead of cousins. They had constantly been together, getting into mischief here and there. Mainly it had been Mac and Merle that had gotten into the most mischief, but Daryl had seen his share of brawls too. Being the youngest, he had always felt the need to prove himself and he felt like he had gotten his point across to everyone now that he wasn't someone to be toyed with. He might have been the youngest Dixon, but that made him no less lethal.

He watched as the door to her cabin opened and she peered out, probably looking for him. Daryl knew she couldn't see him sitting out there with the way the truck was parked in the shade, the late afternoon sun blinding as it descended into the earth. He opened his truck door and climbed out, her head turning his direction and his eyes meeting hers across the yard. He headed in her direction, stopping a few feet from her door.

"Hi," she said softly.

He nodded, "Hey."

She cleared her throat and gestured into the cabin, "I made dinner... I mean, I cooked and well I think I made too much. I'm used to cooking for two..." She sighed. "I made dinner if you would like some."

She wanted to smack herself in the forehead for how stupid she sounded to her own ears. Being alone didn't bother her for the most part, but she was starting to crave some sort of human interaction and she really had made a lot more than she could eat alone.

He was startled to say the least. Usually he would either eat in town or throw something on the grill while drinking a beer after he got home. Today he hadn't really felt like doing either and he had already resigned himself to eating a sandwich. The thought of a home cooked meal was sounding pretty good to him right now.

He wiped a hand across his brow. "Yeah. Sounds good...Mind if I use your bathroom to wash up?"

Carol shook her head, "It's your place. Feel free."

He scoffed. "Not my place while you're stayin' here. It's your space now," his deep voice said gruffly as he brushed past her.

She swallowed at the short contact of his body brushing against hers innocently as he entered the cabin. Instead of flinching like she had thought, she had felt a little spark. What kind of spark she wasn't really sure of, but it had been there nevertheless.

...


	10. Chapter 10

...

Daryl shoveled another forkful of the food that Carol had prepared into his mouth and nearly groaned out loud as the flavor assaulted his taste buds. He made quick work of the food on his plate, helping himself to another one of the homemade biscuits sitting in the middle of the table. It was only when he realized that Carol had gotten oddly quiet on the other side of the table that he looked up. She was watching him with a look of almost amusement on her face. He slowly wiped his mouth, worried that he might have missed some food somewhere.

"What?" 

She shook her head, her eyes twinkling. "Nothing. You're just...eating like someone is going to take it away from you. It's...kind of cute," she finished.

He snorted, "Food's good."

"Thanks."

He nodded, slowing his pace a little. He had been thinking about something today at work while running to get parts for a vehicle that he was repairing. He wanted to bring it up with her, but he wasn't sure what she would think about it.

He shifted in his chair. "Can I ask you somethin'?"

Carol's eyes flicked up to his and she nodded around a mouthful of food.

Daryl licked his lips, nibbling on his bottom lip. "Was thinking today...and you can tell me no if you want, but I wondered if you might wanna work at the shop some? Running parts for me and answering the phone and shit?"

Carol glanced at him in surprise, her glass of tea pausing on its journey towards her mouth. _Her mouth_. He tried to look away from her mouth, but his eyes kept darting back over to it. He coughed and shifted in his chair, forcing his eyes down to his food.

"You don't have to go out of your way to help me Daryl," she said softly. "I mean, I really appreciate it and I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you."

"Ain't going out my way. You would be doing me a favor. Saves me time from having to leave Mac to work on his own if I have to leave," he explained.

She was quiet for several minutes, shifting her food around on her plate a little.

"If you're sure I won't be in the way then I'll work for you in exchange for staying here," she said.

Daryl huffed, "You ain't working for free."

"Then you'll take out rent from what I earn?" Carol asked.

He sighed and then nodded in exasperation. "Fine...You okay with starting in the morning?"

"Sounds good to me."

...

"Here comes your girlfriend Mac," Carol heard Daryl say to Mac as she glanced up from the small pile of greasy receipts that she was hopelessly trying to organize.

Mac flipped Daryl off from underneath the car he was working on, "Which one?" 

Daryl snickered and Carol shook her head as she watched the blonde from the drugstore down the street enter the garage. She couldn't remember the woman's name, but she remembered talking to her. She watched them all curiously, casting glances in their direction as she organized the receipts.

"I heard that, asshole," she said as she approached the men. "I actually didn't come here to see Mac. I came to see my boyfriend  _Daryl."_

Carol felt a slight twinge at that statement and she let her eyes drop back down to the paper in her hands, choosing to focus on it instead. From underneath the car Mac growled, mumbling a string of profanity that made Carol's ears burn. He slid out, wiping his greasy hands onto those coveralls that he seemed to wear everywhere.

He smirked at the blonde. "Oh no, Andrea. Daryl's got himself a new piece of meat now."

Carol wanted to slide down underneath her chair and she was pretty sure her face was flaming as she tried not to look up. She held out for mere seconds before glancing up and right into Daryl's gaze. Her stomach fluttered and she quickly averted her eyes.

"Shut your fuckin' hole Mac," Daryl replied gruffly.

"You're seeing someone Daryl?" Andrea asked curiously.

Carol's eyes flicked up to the three of them again. Mac was grinning like an idiot, reaching into his pocket for a cigarette.

"I'm not seeing anyone," Daryl mumbled and Carol saw him walk into the restroom, slamming the door behind him.

Mac whistled and looked in her direction, winking at her. "Boy never could take a fucking joke," he remarked.

"Stop it Mac," Andrea chided and he shot her a look before sliding back underneath the vehicle.

Andrea made her way over to Carol and smiled at her. "Hi! Didn't think you would still be here. Decided to stay awhile?"

"Well I didn't have much choice really. My car was pretty much worthless," Carol admitted.

"Man, I've been there before. Luckily I know some pretty hot car guys," Andrea said with a wink.

Carol was actually glad to talk to another woman for a few minutes, especially after being in the shop with Daryl and Mac all day. She hadn't had a girlfriend in so long that she had almost forgotten how it felt to have another woman to talk to.

"Just bet you do," Mac called out.

Andrea rolled her eyes at Carol, "Don't pay him any attention. He's a little rough around the edges, but he's a pretty decent guy," she whispered.

Carol's eyes drifted over to Daryl as he exited the bathroom and stopped to reach into the old fridge he kept there for a bottle of water. His shirt was slightly damp, most likely from sweat and she couldn't tear her eyes away as he lifted the hem of his shirt to wipe at the sweat pooling on his forehead. He opened the water and took a long swig, letting out a little sigh as he set it down. Their eyes met then and Carol knew she had been caught staring, but she still couldn't seem to look away. He simply stared back until Andrea moved beside her and broke the contact.

"Where the fuck did everybody go? It's so quiet in here," Mac yelled. "Turn up the goddamn radio or something."

"Well I've got to be going. I've got the night shift and it's almost time for me to clock in," Andrea commented. "We should get together and hang out Carol."

Carol smiled at her and nodded, "That would be nice."

"Okay, I'll get up with you soon then," Andrea said. "Bye Daryl...Mac."

"See ya," Daryl said and Carol heard Mac grunt from underneath the car, a string of curses immediately following as Andrea walked away to her car.

Carol looked up to see Daryl walking over to her. He had a bottle of water in his hand which he passed to her.

"Figured you might be getting thirsty. Been doing this shit for a while now. Why don't you take a little break?"

She accepted the water gratefully. "I'm fine. It's not like I'm doing anything hard," she chuckled.

A smile teased his lips, "Was thinking about heading over to get some food when we knock off. Up to it?"

"Sure."

...

Daryl grabbed the beer, shot of whiskey, and coke from the bar, heading over to the booth that he, Carol, and Mac occupied. Handing Carol the coke that she had asked for, he slid Mac his shot and sat back down beside Carol.

He hadn't thought that bringing Carol to a bar would be a bad idea until they had actually got there. Now he was starting to wonder if he should have just taken her to the diner instead where there wasn't any alcohol. She didn't seem to be bothered by being there though and that was a good sign.

"We don't gotta eat here if you don't want to. We can go somewhere else...if it makes you uncomfortable." His blue eyes drifted over to hers in concern.

She eyed him over the rim of her glass and shook her head, swallowing down a sip of her drink.

"No, it's okay. Besides, you said the food is good here right?"

Mac slammed his shotglass down onto the table dragging their attention over to him. He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand and then glanced up as if aware that they were both looking at him.

"What?" He asked.

Daryl shook his head, but Carol spoke up.

"So what's good to eat here?" She directed the question at them both.

"Burgers are good, but don't ever order any fucking chicken from here. That shit will tear you up and not in a damn good way," Mac commented as he lit a cigarette. He glanced towards the door of the bar and then smirked, "Goddamn, what the fuck is she wearing?" He growled under his breath as he got up from the booth and walked towards the door.

Daryl turned to see what was going on and spotted Andrea dressed in really tight shorts and a tank that had every guy in the place drooling over her. He sighed. Everyone knew the two of them obviously had something going on, but for some strange reason they seemed to like to torture each other. Daryl couldn't understand the appeal, but it seemed to work for them. He also knew that the situation could very easily get out of hand if he didn't head in that direction as soon as possible.

On impulse he grabbed Carol's hand, ignoring the way it felt to hold it. He jerked his head at the pool tables, "Wanna play a game before we order?"

She seemed shocked, her hand small and slightly tense in his, but she finally nodded. He stood and led her through the thickening crowd and over to one of the pool tables. Grabbing two sticks, he handed them to her.

"Hold this for a sec? I need to check on those two." He jerked his head in the direction of Andrea and Mac who were speaking in what looked to be heated tones near the exit.

Daryl wound his way through the crowd and stepped up to Andrea and Mac, interrupting their conversation.

"Round of pool on me. Come on." He grabbed Andrea by the arm before she could protest and began leading her to the pool table.

He threw a glance over his shoulder and saw that Mac was following behind them, his features a mask of irritation. Finding Carol waiting at the table he let go of Andrea and grabbed one of the sticks from her hand.

"Mind if we play doubles?" He asked, dipping his head low to hear over the noise level of the crowd.

"Okay," she replied, her eyes on his.

Daryl felt his cock twitch in his pants and fought the crazy urge to kiss her. Stepping backwards, he wiggled his shoulders to relax as Andrea and Mac both grabbed pool sticks. He began to rack up the balls.

"You any good at pool?" Daryl asked Carol.

"I...I've actually never played." She blushed, looking very embarrassed with herself.

Daryl removed the triangle from the table and slid it back into the pool table, "Never?"

She shook her head, biting down on her lip.

Christ. He tore his eyes from her lip and cleared his throat.

"Maybe I should just observe," Carol said suddenly.

"Ain't that hard. I can teach you if you want," he offered.

"We playing or we gonna stand around and yank each others dick all night?" Mac yelled from across the pool table.

Andrea shot him a look and he waggled his tongue at her in an obscene gesture. Daryl shook his head, ignoring them as he focused on Carol. He braced both hands on the edge of the pool table and stared at her.

"You don't gotta play if you're not comfortable with it," he said.

"No. I want to learn." She grabbed his hand suddenly, their eyes locking. "You only live once, right? Teach me."

Daryl felt his mouth run dry at her words and the bold way that she grabbed his hand. It was a simple gesture, with nothing romantic about it, but it still gave him pause regardless. He glanced down at her hand that was over his much larger one that rested on top of the table.

"Alright. Let's play then," he said.

...


	11. Chapter 11

...

Carol was a natural at pool.

It didn't take her long to catch on with Daryl showing her the proper way to hold the stick, even Mac and Andrea throwing in tips. She wouldn't have thought that pool would be something that she enjoyed that much or even that she was good at. They were back at the booth now, Mac and Andrea having taken off together after three rounds of pool.

It was strange for her, being with a man like this out in public. It was almost like a...date. She knew it wasn't and dating wasn't really something that she was even considering or thought that she might be ready for. However, when Daryl had been leaning against her his warm, broad chest against her back, Carol had gotten those flutters low in her belly again. It had taken some maneuvering, but she had managed to push those feelings aside and play the game, managing to sink more than one or two on her turns.

She had gotten to know Andrea a little more while they played, the woman chatting with her about various things. She seemed like the type of person that Carol could really see herself being friends with, but she was scared to get too close to everyone even though they were already starting to grow on her a little. She never would have seen herself surrounded by these people, eating dinner with a man and enjoying herself. All things considered, she was feeling pretty good for once.

"I think you hustled me out there," Daryl commented as they finished up their food.

Carol chuckled, blushing as she took a sip of her drink. "I swear I've never played before tonight."

He hummed low in his throat, leaning back against the booth with his eyes on hers.

"Couldn't tell it. Couple more rounds and you would have wiped the floor with my ass."

She smiled and shook her head. She hadn't been that good, but all the same, his praise felt nice to hear.

"You're real pretty when you smile like that. Should do it more often." His voice was low and when she met his eyes she felt that burn again.

Carol ran her fingers through her hair nervously. She wasn't used to being told that she was pretty and she hadn't given much thought to it in quite some time.

"Thanks," she replied softly.

He shrugged, "It's the truth. Should hear it more often."

Daryl cleared his throat and sat up as if sensing the environment was becoming slightly heated. Carol's heart was pounding within her chest, her mind a flurry of activity at his words. She took a moment to imagine how it might be to be dating someone like Daryl, someone who told her things like that. She could easily imagine that the two of them were on a date and that he might walk her to her door later giving her a kiss goodnight before leaving. Thinking about kissing Daryl made her stare at his lips. He wasn't paying her any attention now because the waitress had brought their bill and he was digging for his wallet to pay. Snapping to attention, she reached for the check, her hand touching his by accident.

"I have money-" She insisted.

Daryl reared back as if he had been slapped. "I hope you're not suggesting that you pay for your own food," he said. "Cause that ain't how I was raised and that ain't gonna happen."

As if to prove his point he slipped the tab from underneath her hand and quickly handed the lady some cash.

"Keep the change ma'am." His voice was like smooth silk and the waitress smiled at him flirtatiously.

Carol noticed that Daryl didn't look at her other than a polite nod and the lady quickly hurried off, throwing a backward glance at Carol. Daryl gulped down the rest of his beer and then looked at her.

"You ready?" 

She nodded and stood, Daryl standing after her. "You didn't have to pay," Carol commented as they walked towards the door.

Daryl shrugged and pushed open the door, holding it open before she could walk through it. She paused a moment, unused to the treatment and then she smiled warmly at him, shaking her head in wonder.

"You're a sweet guy Daryl. Has anyone ever told you that?"

A small smile teased the corners of his lips as they stopped at the truck. "Thought women liked that kind of shit," he replied.

"Liked what?"

"Sweet."

"Oh," Carol said. "We do...at least I think we do. I haven't been on a date in ages," she chuckled and then stopped, realizing what she had just said.

They both averted their eyes and Daryl cleared his throat before unlocking the truck door so that she could climb inside, "I haven't been on a date in ages either."

...

"What the fuck were you thinking wearing that whore shit tonight?" Mac threw out at Andrea, causing her to cut her eyes at him.

She sighed. "I already told you. I got off early. It was slow so Daniel sent me home. I didn't feel like just sitting around and I didn't know I needed permission to wear my own fucking clothes."

Mac scowled as he steered the truck down the road, one arm thrown casually across the steering wheel, the other propped onto the open window that let in the humid breeze. Andrea slipped off her flip flops and propped one bare foot on top of Mac's dashboard, sighing dramatically.

"I could have driven my own car and saved us the hassle of having to go back for it later," she commented.

"You had one too many fucking beers to drive," Mac responded, his eyes cutting to hers in the dark truck.

"That's bullshit! You had more than I did!" Andrea crossed her arms.

She knew she was acting childish, but she didn't care. Mac was acting ridiculous. They weren't even dating, just sleeping together and he was acting like he owned her. While a part of her was majorly turned on by it, the other was frustrated by it as well.

"I can hold my alcohol a hell of a lot better than you can." Mac cast her a sideways glance.

Andrea slid over closer to the passenger window, staring out into the night, the wind blowing her blonde hair around her face.

"You _'_ re acting like the jealous fucking boyfriend. You don't _own_ me Mac."

The sound of the brakes squealing, hot metal pads grinding together to create smoke around the truck filled the night around them as Mac slammed on the brakes. Andrea had to brace her feet against the dash to keep from ending up in the floorboard. Glancing over at Mac, she saw his jaw twitch and she bit her lip, knowing she had pushed him too far. He let the truck idle for several minutes, staring straight ahead into the night, the truck the only vehicle on this back road. They sat there for several minutes, Andrea's chest heaving as she waited for him to do something.

Finally he pressed the gas again and they began to ride, the wind blowing through the truck again. Minutes later, he pulled off onto a small dirt road, barely noticeable between the trees and Andrea frowned.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

He didn't respond, his eyes staring straight ahead, his forearms flexing as he changed the gears in the old pickup. He stopped the truck several hundred yards into the woods, switching off the engine and lights, surrounding them in darkness. In the dark of the truck, she could barely make out his light breathing. She nearly jumped a mile into the air when his strong hand clamped down onto her thigh and his lips were suddenly at her ear.

"I may not own you, but there's no fucking mistaking that you're _mine,_ " his low voice growled into her ear.

Andrea shivered, finding herself turned on by the act of being in the truck with him in the dark.

"You never said you wanted to be exclusive," she murmured.

He chuckled darkly into her ear and she jumped again, mentally cursing herself for watching too many scary movies.

"You scared of me?" Mac questioned.

Andrea laughed lightly, the sound unconvincing to her ears even. Sometimes Mac could be a bit intense and the truth of the matter was that she never could predict how he was going to act at any given time.

"You think I would fucking hurt you on purpose?" His voice rose, his anger building. "You ought to know better than that fucking shit Andrea." He dropped his voice to a whisper, "Do I need to remind you how good I can make you feel?"

Andrea swallowed thickly, her tongue thick and dry in her mouth. His fingers slid over the bare skin of her thigh just below her shorts, slowly sliding underneath the edge of her shorts. Andrea whimpered, arching her hips slightly as she tried to urge him on. His tongue slid over the shell of her ear and he nipped her skin between his teeth.

"I don't hear you," he murmured into her ear, his breath hot on her skin.

"Yes," Andrea whispered, desperate for his touch. "Please, Mac."

He pulled back from her. "Get out of those goddamn shorts then before I rip them off."

Andrea's fingers shook with desire as she unbuttoned her shorts and wiggled them down her hips, pulling her panties down after them. When she was bare from the waist down, she slid over and Mac's strong hands lifted her, turning her so that she straddled his waist. His cock was already out, hard and waiting as he guided her down onto his length. Andrea gasped and bit her lip, a moan escaping her as her slick folds enveloped him.

"Fuck me," Mac hissed. "Goddamn you're tight."

Andrea buried her face into the curve of his neck, breathing in the scent she had come to associate as Mac. He dipped his head back, exposing the column of his throat to her, his eyes hot on hers even in the dark. She seized the opportunity that he offered her, knowing that he didn't offer it very often. Biting down onto his neck she marked him, leaving the imprint of her teeth on his skin. He groaned, his hand coming up behind her head to press her against him harder.

"Mark me harder," he demanded.

Andrea hummed against his skin, pressing her teeth into him harder as he began to thrust inside of her. He released his hold on her a few minutes later and she grabbed his shoulders to steady herself as she began to ride him. He tangled his fingers into her long blonde tresses and pulled, making her arch her back, her eyes hot on his.

"Mac," Andrea whimpered.

He smiled nice and slow, his free hand slipping between them to finger her clit. His eyes were possessive on hers and they scorched her skin, holding her to him when she would have closed her eyes. She was close, so very close and she could feel herself on the verge of her orgasm. She begged him with her eyes, pleading for a release from this torturous pleasure.

"Come for Mac baby. Show me who you belong to," he whispered fiercely.

Andrea clenched around him, her muscles tightening sporadically as she rode out her release, her eyes finally drifting closed. Mac followed behind her moments later, his whole body tensing before he spilled himself inside of her. He kept his fingers wrapped into her hair and his breathing was harsh as he leaned forward, panting into her neck.

Finally he untangled his fingers from her hair and pulled back, staring at her with his unwavering gaze. She opened her eyes and studied him with the same level of intensity. Running her nails across his bare chest, she smiled as he inhaled sharply.

"I'm yours Mac...you know that," Andrea said softly.

Mac grunted, throwing his head back on the seat, his cock still situated inside of her and growing again. Andrea continued to rake her nails across him, enjoying the way he was slowly growing hard again.

"I want you to be mine," she whispered.

He growled at her and she let out a yelp as his hand came down sharply against her naked ass.

Bucking up into her, he smiled at her startled moan. In a practiced move, he lifted her off of his cock and onto the steering wheel, spreading her legs open before him.

His eyes feasted upon her. "Yours," he grunted. "I own you."

...


	12. Chapter 12

...

Carol walked alongside Daryl in the path of the moonlight from the truck to her cabin slowly. She wasn't in any real hurry to get inside and be alone again. She was having a really nice time just being with Daryl and she was hesitant to see it all end. Unfortunately the walk from the truck to the cabin wasn't a long walk by any means and they were nearly there when Daryl suddenly stopped. Carol turned and noticed that he was staring up at the sky, his hands stuffed into his pockets. She tilted her head at him curiously.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

He brought his head down to look at her, his eyes shining in the dark.

He held out his hand to her, "Come here."

Carol bit down on her lip then took a step forward, slipping her hand into his. His warm, work roughened fingers closed around hers and he gently tugged her back next to him. Tilting his head back, he gestured to the sky and pointed. Carol tilted her head back and stared up at the sky.

"Watch," Daryl's voice whispered near her ear.

Carol licked her lips at his voice that was so close to her ear, but she remained still, her eyes focused on the sky above them. A minute later a shooting star sailed across the sky, leaving a bright arc in its path that quickly faded. It was beautiful and Carol held her breath as another and then another followed, each of them creating their own unique pathway across the night sky.

"It's beautiful," Carol murmured.

"Mmm," Daryl rumbled low in his throat, his head still thrown back as he watched.

Carol was distracted by the sight of him, the arch of his throat and scraggly beard in such close proximity to her. She was struck for a moment by the sheer beauty of the moment and most importantly by this side of a man that she hadn't ever seen. She was acutely aware of his hand that still grasped hers, his fingers loosely closed over hers as their hands dangled between them.

"There goes another one! See it?" Daryl leaned back farther and pointed, his finger trying to follow the light show.

Carol glanced quickly up at the sky, catching the last fading trail of light from the star and she hummed her approval. She could feel his eyes on her then and she glanced over at him from the corner of her eye, her breath hitching up a notch. Sure enough he was staring at her and she slowly turned her head to meet his gaze, swallowing thickly. Carol saw him leaning closer, could actually feel his breath lightly blowing against her cheek and she shivered, unable to turn away.

She closed her eyes. This was it. He was going to kiss her and she was completely terrified. She was terrified at the thought that she might actually enjoy the kiss and that would make things difficult when she had to leave. Except she couldn't seem to find the will to pull away from him.

Except when she decided to shift closer to him and lost her footing, grabbing onto his shirt and nearly taking them both to the ground. Luckily Daryl had great reflexes and he was able to right them both before they could hit the ground.

He grasped her shoulders. "You alright?" 

Carol nodded, feeling all sorts of embarrassing heat flood her face. She couldn't believe that she had gotten off balance while standing still. She offered him a small smile as he released her shoulders and she took a step backwards towards her cabin. She wanted to crawl into a hole and suffer through her embarrassment in the safety of her cabin.

"I'm actually kind of tired so I think I'm going to call it a night," she said softly. "See you in the morning?"

Daryl nodded, his eyes following her as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"Sure."

Carol paused with her hand on the doorknob. "Goodnight Daryl," she whispered.

"Goodnight."

...

"I talked to my connection about your woman this morning," Mac said as he puffed on a cigarette.

Carol had just left the shop to pick up some parts that Daryl needed from the automotive place in the next town over. Daryl and Mac were the only ones in the shop, the radio turned down low, playing a mixture of heavy metal and rock tunes that echoed off of the cement walls. He huffed at the statement that Carol was his woman, but knew that it wouldn't do any good to correct Mac. He was like Merle in the way that once he got it set in his head about something then you were unlikely to change his mind about it.

"And?" Daryl pressed as he reached down to unscrew a bolt from the starter that he was replacing.

Mac walked over to to lean against the side of the car, lighting up a cigarette as he talked.

"And I told her what was going on. Asked her if she could help...that's fucking what," Mac replied.

Daryl rolled his eyes, "I kinda figured that shit. I meant did she sound like she could help or what?"

He paused for a moment, taking a break. There was no need for him to rush to get this starter out because he would still have to wait on Carol to get back with the new one and she was likely to be gone a little longer. He swiped at his brow with his forearm, the shop fan doing little to cool the air.

Mac shrugged, "Guess we'll have to see."

Daryl narrowed his eyes, "What kind of connection you got any damn way? What if she decides to go to the cops or something?"

Daryl trusted Mac...that wasn't a concern here. The concern was how well Mac trusted this other person whom Daryl didn't know. What if they decided to just go to the cops with the information and then they arrested Carol? Daryl had gotten to know her pretty well he thought and the Carol he knew wasn't a killer. She was an emotionally and physically abused woman who had lashed out, pushed past her boiling point. There had to be something that they could do to help her. He didn't know much about her husband, but from what he had heard, Daryl thought that the man had gotten what he deserved. It really chapped his ass when a man thought it was okay to hit a woman.

Daryl's own mother had been a victim of his father's abuse. He had seen what that kind of shit did to a woman. It broke her in more ways than one and unfortunately for his mother, it was what had ultimately killed her.

"D...Fucking hell man, snap out of it!" Mac flicked his fingers in front of Daryl's face, catching his attention again.

Daryl blinked and looked at Mac, sighing loudly, "Sorry. Just kinda blanked out there."

Mac eyed him for a moment and for a second Daryl thought he was going to call him out on his bullshit, but he just kept right on talking.

"I said I can't reveal my connection yet, but yeah I trust her. She said to give her a few days and she'll be getting back in touch with me. Until then, we just keep on like we're fucking doing and wait," Mac explained.

Daryl nodded. "I know...I just don't wanna see her get locked up for this shit. It's...I jus-" Daryl sighed, not even bothering to try and finish his sentence.

"You thinking about your Mama aren't you?" Mac asked.

Daryl avoided the other man's gaze and reached over, plucking the lit cigarette from Mac's fingers. He took a long draw from it, inhaling the smoke deep into his lungs. He didn't need this shit today, didn't need to think about shit that was in the past. That was then and this was now. Things were different now, better even. Those old demons hadn't haunted him in a long time and he didn't want them to start back again.

"Fuck you," Daryl said softly with no trace of malice in his voice.

Mac nodded, knowing that it was Daryl's way of saying that he didn't want to talk about it and Mac didn't push. He simply understood that Daryl needed a moment and for that Daryl was grateful. Sometimes people had a way of getting on his nerves about things.

"So, you heard from Merle lately? Any word on when his fucking ass is getting out of jail?" Mac asked as he went back to work.

"He called me the other day. Bitchin' about being out of money and wanting me to send him some. He ain't heard anything about getting out far as I know," he replied.

"You need some money?" Mac raised his head to level Daryl with a stare.

Daryl blew out a puff of smoke as he put the cigarette out and tossed the butt into a garbage can behind him.

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks for offering though," Daryl said.

"I know I can be a shithead, but you need something then you come and see me. You got that jackass?" He pointed his finger at Daryl to emphasize his point.

Daryl snorted, shaking his head at Mac. "Don't make me kick your ass."

"Like to see you try it you little shit. I may be older than you, but I ain't broke." Mac's voice had a teasing lilt to it.

"You damn right you're older...pretty soon we're gonna be findin' you a nursing home."

"Fuck that. I'm like a fine wine son...I only get better with age," Mac retorted.

Daryl snickered and removed the starter from its current location, setting it to the side as he waited for Carol to get back with the new one. He started to wipe the grease from his hand onto his pants and then smiled as an idea came to him. Walking over to Mac, he stopped just behind him, grinning like an idiot.

"Hey, give me a hand with this will you?" Daryl said.

Mac turned and Daryl planted his grease covered hand directly onto Mac's face, leaving a giant greasy hand print behind. Mac stared at him and Daryl smiled, knowing he was in for it, but not being able to help himself. Mac grabbed him into a headlock which only caused Daryl to chuckle. The next few minutes were spent with the both of them horseplaying and throwing shit at each other until they were finally interrupted by Carol who caused them both to pause and stare in her direction.

Mac had so much grease on his face that he looked like he was trying to camouflage himself for war. He also had a splatter of oil on his coveralls that probably wouldn't come clean when he washed it. Daryl was looking no better with several spots of oil coating his hair and making it stick up in several places. The kicker of it all was when Daryl turned and Carol covered a laugh as she saw the greasy handprint across the ass of his jeans, clearly Mac's doing.

She simply stood there for several moments in disbelief before speaking. "Here are the parts you needed."

Her eyes cut to Mac who headed for the bathroom, no doubt to wash his face, and then back to Daryl who walked over to take the box from her. Seeing him up close only caused a laugh to bubble from her throat and she quickly covered her mouth, glancing up at him. The corner of his mouth lifted as he stared at her, watching how the corner of her eyes crinkled as she laughed.

"How-" Carol started to speak, but Daryl just shook his head at her.

"Don't," he said and then he smiled at her. "Just don't ask."

...


	13. Chapter 13

.........

Carol couldn't sleep.

She had tossed and turned for what felt like hours now, but according to the clock had actually only been minutes. Her mind refused to shut down enough so that she could get proper rest and she sighed as she flung off the sheet and sat up. Running a hand through her hair, she decided to fix herself a small glass of milk and hope that it would help make her sleepy.

Padding into the kitchen she reached into cabinet for a glass, grabbing the milk from the fridge and pouring herself a small amount. She leaned against the small counter as she drank, staring blankly into the darkness of the cabin, looking into the shadows.

Once upon a time she might have been scared to stay alone or to walk around in the dark by herself even, but that was then and this was entirely different. In the midst of all of her emotional trauma with Ed, she seemed to have found a new Carol, a stronger Carol. Maybe that Carol had always been there...she wasn't sure. Or maybe her past had forced her into this new person that she was still getting used to.

She finished up her milk, still feeling wide awake and turned to set her glass in the sink when there was a knock at the door. Frowning, she thought to herself that surely Daryl wouldn't be knocking on her door at this hour...would he? She didn't think he would, but maybe it was some sort of emergency.

Straightening her clothing, she didn't bother reaching for her pepper spray as she opened the door just a crack. Expecting to see Daryl, she was taken completely by surprise when she found herself face to face with Ed. Her entire face going an ungodly shade of white, she struggled for breath.

"No," she whispered. "No! You're dead!"

"Who the fuhuck 'er you?" The man slurred.

Carol blinked, slowly coming to the realization that the man standing at her door wasn't actually Ed. She stared blankly at the man in confusion for a moment, jumping when he suddenly pressed his shoulder against the door, throwing her off balance as he shouldered his way in.

"Where's Merle?" The man growled as he cast glances around the cabin, his eyes slightly wild.

Carol's eyes fell onto her pepper spray, conveniently located on top of the table directly behind the man. She swallowed, her mind searching for something, _anything_ to use as a weapon against the man who was clearly very drunk.

He took a staggering step in her direction, the moonlight making giving his eyes an eerie glow.

"I asked you a ques...tion," he spat, pointing his finger at her chest.

Carol held up her hands, taking slow steps backwards, trying not to make any sudden movements for fear of angering the man.

"I don't know," she replied, her voice wavering slightly.

"I'm lookin' fer Merlllee!" The man slurred the name, his voice rising to a shout.

Carol's heart beat frantically within her chest, her eyes wide and nearly frantic.

A shadow loomed in the doorway and Carol's eyes darted in that direction, nearly collapsing in relief when a barefoot and bare chested Daryl stepped inside of the cabin. He had a large contraption in his hands that Carol couldn't quite make out, but she had never been so relieved to see a familiar face.

"State your business."

Daryl's voice was hard, any traces of his normal demeanor gone as he eyed the stranger standing in front of Carol. The man turned, stumbling around in the dark and Carol made a dive for the lamp, switching it on as the man almost toppled to the floor. Daryl's eyes widened and he slowly lowered the crossbow, an expression of irritation crossing his face.

"What the fuck you want Frank? It's one o'clock in the goddamn mornin'," Daryl said coldly.

Carol pressed herself against the wall off to the side observing the situation.

 _Frank_ narrowed his eyes at Daryl, squinting as if he were trying to see. "I'm lookin' fer Merle," he said.

Daryl shook his head, the contraption dropping to his side, drawing Carol's eye. It had some sort of arrow in it and her first instinct was to say it was a bow and arrow, but she hadn't ever seen one quite like it before.

"Merle isn't here! Done told your ass he's gone for a while," Daryl snapped, his eyes like liquid fire. They flicked briefly to Carol and she saw them soften slightly seconds before he fixed his hard stare back onto Frank.

"Yeah well I need to ta..talk to him," Frank stuttered.

Daryl grabbed the man by the arm, leading him towards the doorway. "That your ride out there sitting in my driveway? Somebody drive you Frank?"

"Yep. Thas my r..ride," Carol heard Frank slur and she slumped in relief when Daryl ushered the man out of the cabin, the door still standing wide open.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she rubbed her temples, trying to calm herself down. She listened, still standing in the same spot and she heard voices before she heard the slamming of a car door.

She had managed to calm herself moderately down by the time that Daryl walked inside and she glanced at him, her breath catching in her throat. She hadn't paid any attention to how he had been dressed before, not like she was now anyway. His hair was sticking up in several places indicating that he had actually been sleeping before coming outside. Her eyes drifted down to his bare chest and the muscles that seemed to glisten in the light from the lamp. She kept lowering her eyes, following the slight dusting of hair at his navel to the crest of his jeans, jeans that were unbuttoned in his haste to get outside. Carol swallowed again, ending her gaze at his bare feet that somehow only seemed to make his whole appearance that much more sexy. Briefly she wondered if the jeans were the only thing that he had on and she began to feel a heat spread through the lower half of her body.

"Sorry about that. You alright?" He asked.

She nodded, feeling unable to clearly articulate rational thought at that moment. It wasn't just because of his state of dress, although that played a part in it. It was more because she was growing slightly irritated with herself for reverting back to the Carol that she used to be.

Daryl's features twisted in concern, "You sure you alright? You don't look too good." He took a step towards her and paused as if unsure of whether or not he should. "Frank is one of Merle's friends. Drunk ass bastard only comes around when he needs somethin'. He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Carol shook her head, rubbing her hands across her arms. "No. He didn't hurt me," she responded.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, hooking his thumbs over the top and consequently making his pants ride lower on his hips. She turned her head, biting her lip to distract her thoughts. He took another step and Carol panicked slightly, looking back at him.

"I'm just mad at myself," she chuckled, her tone humorless and he stopped again, watching her. "There were so many better ways I could have handled that situation, but I froze...just like before."

He tilted his head, putting the tip of his thumb into his mouth and chewing on the skin there as he regarded her.

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself...no one ever really acts the way they think they will in the heat of the moment. Your body kinda goes into panic mode or something."

"Have you ever panicked like that?" Carol asked softly, curious now to know a little more about him.

He shifted his eyes from hers, answering her question in more ways than one. Glancing down at his feet as if just now realizing he was barefoot he nodded slightly.

"Yeah, yeah I have," he responded in a low voice.

Carol didn't prompt him any further and he didn't offer up any more of an explanation than that so she left it alone. It was more than obvious to her that he didn't want to talk about it and she wasn't going to push him.

"You don't have to stay out here with me Daryl...I'm fine."

He shrugged, "Ain't no big deal...I'm awake now. Figure I'll go ahead and get the coffee going. Feel like coffee?" 

Carol glanced towards the bedroom and the bed where she had tossed and turned not so long ago. She knew that she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep if she were to go and lie back down. She should probably tell him no...although she really didn't know why she should. Coffee with him did sound good and she wrestled with her reply over and over in her head.

"Sure," she finally said. "That sounds great. Just give me a few minutes and I'll walk over."

He nodded and turned to leave, stopping to look back at her at the threshold, "Want me to wait on you? Walk over with you?" He offered.

Carol's heart skipped a beat at the generous offer and once again she marveled at how a man so sweet could be so unattached. She shook her head, forcing a soft smile to her lips.

"No, that's okay. You go ahead. I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

Carol chuckled lightly. "Yes, just go. I'll whistle or something if I get attacked by frogs on the way over," she teased.

A smile broke out across his face and he laughed lightly. "Some of them frogs have warts so watch your step," he said with a teasing tone.

Carol shook her head at him and stepped to the window to watch him cross the yard. The bare skin of his back gleamed in the faint moonlight and she let her eyes roam him freely. He really was a sight to behold she thought as she watched him enter his back door.

Forcing herself away from the window she headed to her room to put on something more presentable and see to her hair. She told herself that she was only worrying about her clothes and hair because she didn't want to appear unkempt, but deep down she wondered if it was something more.

...


	14. Chapter 14

...

Daryl set a steaming mug of coffee in front of Carol and took a seat across from her at his small kitchen table. This was the first time that she had ever been inside of his place. He had done a quick inventory and tugged on a shirt before she had come over, making sure that none of his boxers were lying around anywhere. He wasn't a really untidy person, but he wasn't a clean freak either. In fact, he thought he did fairly well for a single guy living alone. Or at least he thought he did.

He didn't know what Carol thought about it because she hadn't said much. He had seen her glancing around his place which was pretty similar to Merle's cabin, except the furnishings were slightly different. The layout was the same for both places.

"Did you build these cabins or something?" Carol asked as she sipped at the hot liquid.

Daryl shook his head. "Nah, I'm not all that great of a carpenter really. My grandfather, Norman, built these a long time ago. He left them to me and Merle when he died, along with the shop," he explained.

Carol's face twisted in sympathy, "Oh...I'm sorry to hear that," she said.

He shrugged. "He's been dead a long time."

He took a sip of his coffee, glancing around the cabin, trying to see it through her eyes. He had a lot of memories in these cabins, memories of Merle, his grandfather, and himself. Most of them were spent in the woods surrounding the cabins though, hunting. His grandfather had been a hunter as well and he had passed that love down to both Daryl and Merle. His grandfather had been a good man, a strong man, and a respected member of the community. Everyone in town had known Norman and knew that he didn't put up with any crap. Daryl missed him, the memories sometimes coming to him in the night and soothing his nightmares.

"Were you close to him?" Carol asked softly.

"Yeah...me and Merle both were."

"What is your brother like? You haven't said too much about him," Carol inquired, her eyes skirting the room before coming back to meet his.

Daryl snorted, thinking how best to describe his brother. His brother wasn't exactly everyone's cup of tea, but he was still his brother and Daryl loved him.

"Merle is...Merle's an asshole," Daryl stated bluntly.

He figured that it was best to just be upfront about it to begin with. That wasn't all that Merle was, and that wasn't saying that an asshole was necessarily a bad thing either. Sometimes being an asshole came in real handy and other times not so much.

Carol raised a brow at Daryl's description, staring down into her cup and then back at him again. He was glad to see that she looked a great deal calmer now than she had before. Before, she had looked slightly pale and shaken, but he couldn't say that he blamed her none. Frank and his dumbass drunken self...Daryl shook his head as he sipped at his coffee.

"Well...he sounds really nice," Carol said suddenly and Daryl stared at her in confusion. "Merle," Carol clarified, "He sounds like a nice guy." She chuckled lightly.

Daryl relaxed, playing with the handle of the cup, "He isn't all bad. He can come across kinda gruff to some, but deep down, he's a good guy. He's always been kinda like a brother and dad to me all at once. You would really have to meet him to understand what I'm saying," he explained.

Carol nodded, the conversation reaching a lull. Daryl finished his cup and got up to set it in the sink. He was starting to feel his tiredness seeping into his bones again even though he had just drank a full cup of coffee.

"Maybe I should go...You must be tired." Carol stood up quickly, grabbing her cup and heading towards the sink.

He watched her place her mug next to his in the sink, the graceful and easy way that she moved. Without thinking, he grabbed her lightly on her arm as she passed back by him. She jumped a little and he instantly released her, taking a step back.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"No, I'm sorry," Carol said quickly. "It's just instinct...I'm not scared of you, I just...I don't even know anymore."

Daryl took in the hurt that settled deep into her eyes and he felt a pang in his chest and this woman who had seemed to work herself into his life with little to no effort at all. He felt the urge to help her out of this mess and he made a mental note to check in with Mac again about what was going on with his connection.

Carol took a couple of steps closer to him, the light floral scent of her invading his senses. She stopped mere inches from him and she looked up into his face, giving him a slight smile. She reached out with her hand and Daryl stood frozen in place, his eyes following her movements.

Her smooth fingers touched his hand and she gripped it, lifting it slowly between them. Daryl could do nothing more than watch her, totally entranced by the moment. She turned his hand over, palm up and traced her fingers over his rough skin. He swallowed thickly as the tips fluttered across his battered knuckles, a callous on one of his fingers, and then across the jagged skin that he tended to chew on when nervous about something. She took her time tracing over the lines, deepened by years of working on cars and whatever else he could get his hands on.

"You have nice hands," she commented softly.

No one had ever looked at Daryl Dixon's hands before and no one had especially ever told him that they were nice. He gazed at her with curiosity, wondering how she could look at him and see anything nice about him at all.

"Um, thanks." His voice was barely above a whisper.

Carol still stared at his hand and Daryl was finding that he didn't really want her to let go of it. It felt pretty nice to have his hand stroked, even better that it was being stroked by a beautiful woman.

"Ed never had nice hands," she said suddenly, her eyes seeming far away. "His hands weren't tainted by years of hard work," she went on to explain, "He had short stubby fingers, unlike your long ones and there weren't any scratches anywhere." She lifted her eyes to his as if coming back from a memory. "As much as he hit me there in the end, his hands were still virtually untouched. I used to think about how that was possible when he would slap me or pull my hair...How was it possible for this monster to have such nice hands?" Carol laughed, the sound void of any humor. "Then I realized that just because his hands were free of scrapes and calluses, didn't mean that they were nice. It just showed how little he did, how little effort he put into anything. I don't think he ever put in a hard day's work in his life. He was too much of a pussy to get his hands dirty." She lifted her eyes to his, her words turning in his soul.

With one last trace of her fingers she let go of his hand and he dropped it back down to his side, his palm tingling from her touch. She looked away, almost as if embarrassed that she had even brought any of it up. She glanced towards the rear door of the cabin and he followed her gaze, reading her thoughts. She was about to leave, but first he had something he wanted to say to her.

Summoning up his courage, Daryl grabbed her hand and pulled it up to him just as she had done his. He ran his rough fingers over it once, noting the lines and a small scrape across her thumb. Rubbing his thumb lightly over the scrape, he saw her body shiver. Closing her fingers into her palm, he made her hand into somewhat of a fist.

"You have nice hands too," he murmured, his eyes locking onto hers. "And don't you ever forget it."

...

The light from his cell phone spilled out into the darkened bedroom, the buzzing of the ring tone following along behind it. Mac's hand fished out from underneath the sheet that he was covered with and he groped blindly for the phone, prepared to give someone a piece of his mind if this wasn't an emergency.

He swiped his finger across the screen to answer and pressed the phone to his ear. "Better be fucking good!" He barked into the phone.

"I can always call back at another time that's more convenient for you, but I think you want to know this now so listen up." A female voice responded.

Mac wiped the sleep from his eyes and pulled himself to a sitting position, the sheet falling down to his waist as he concentrated.

"What you got for me?" Mac said gruffly.

There was a pause. "That's more like it. They're looking for your friend. They want her for questioning as of now and they're getting nervous because she is no where to be found. It's not helping her case Mac...I need her here."

"I bring her to you, will you guarantee her safety?"

"Have I ever let you down before? I know how we're going to win this, but in order to do that then I need her. I need her here as soon as possible though."

"Like how damn soon?" Mac asked.

"There's a flight from Bainbridge in six hours. You need to be on it," she replied.

Mac sighed. "That's not a lot of fucking time," he growled and then fell silent as he thought about it. "You booked it didn't you?"

She chuckled, "I did. Get your ass in gear and I'll see you soon. Come straight to my office and talk to no one."

"Got it," Mac replied as he ended the call.

He placed his cell back onto the bedside table and stretched, dreading the fact that he was going to have to leave his warm bed. Warm hands and a slender leg made their way across his body and he glanced over next to him to see her eyes open in the dark.

"Who was on the phone?" Andrea asked in a groggy voice.

"My girlfriend," Mac responded, watching her.

Andrea tensed and then she slapped him on his bare chest, the sound echoing across the small trailer. He chuckled, reaching under the blanket to grab her nipple in between his fingers, pinching it firmly. She gasped, her hand coming up to pinch him back. His strong fingers wrapped around her wrist, stopping her.

"Careful," he warned, "I'll play nice and let you have the first hit, but the second comes with consequences."

Bending, he took one of her fingers into his mouth, sucking and biting on it before releasing it. She shivered, her body arching closer to him in the bed.

"I might like the consequences," she whispered as she turned into him, the sheet falling away and exposing her bare breasts to his heated gaze.

Mac felt himself growing hard again and mentally he calculated how much time he had in his head. Coming to the conclusion that there was always time for sex, he grabbed the sheet with one fist and flung it from her body roughly. His hand slid down low over her pelvis and slid inside of her slick heat without warning. She whimpered, her body already wet for him.

"This makes the fourth night this week you fucking slept over. Beginning to think this is becoming a regular fucking thing," he hissed.

Andrea moaned as he crooked his finger just right and her eyes fluttered open to stare at him openly with desire.

"Is that your way of asking me to move in with you?" She teased.

Mac scowled, but the thought didn't turn him off as much as he had thought it would. What the fuck was wrong with him?

Climbing to his knees, he pushed her legs up and spread them wide, baring her open for him. Her scent assaulted him and he leaned over, breathing her in deeply.

"Gonna make this quick, I got shit to do."

She nodded, her eyes intent on his. Smiling wickedly, he bent his head and began his pleasureful assault of her slit. She tangled her fingers into his short hair and tugged sharply making his eyes roll back into his head.

He would have to finish this a lot quicker than he would like, but shit happened sometimes. Nothing in his life ever happened at a convenient time so he was pretty much used to it. He wasn't so sure D was going to be too happy to hear that Carol would have to go back.

And if he knew his cousin at all, then he knew this was liable to be a shit storm.

...


	15. Chapter 15

...

Daryl had been lying in his bed all of maybe thirty minutes he figured when he heard the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside. Scowling, he got up and threw on his jeans, grabbing one of his hunting knives from the stand by the bed.

"Fuckin' Frank," he muttered, tucking the knife into his back pocket as he went.

But as he opened the rear door of the cabin, he saw that it wasn't Frank. He watched as Mac climbed out of his truck and walked over to him. Mac never came to visit him this early in the morning, especially when it hadn't even begun to get light out yet.

"Something happen?" Daryl asked, wary of the reason for this visit.

Mac came to a stop next to him. "Got a call from that connection I told you about."

Mac reached into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes and passed one to Daryl who accepted it gratefully. They were both silent as they lit up and took a puff of the nicotine. Daryl eyed Mac closely, sure that he wasn't going to like what he had to say.

"They looking to arrest her?" He asked with a hint of dread.

"Nah, they aren't looking to arrest her. Not yet anyway. They want her for questioning and my connection needs to talk to Carol. She promises to keep her safe," Mac explained.

Daryl growled, feeling his nerves stand on end. "The hell they say! It's a fucking trap Mac! No way in hell!"

"Calm down D. Her being here and not there is making her look guilty. She needs to fucking be there."

Daryl involuntarily clenched his fists, almost breaking his cigarette in half. He wasn't so sure about this. Somewhere along the way he had gotten to know this woman, more so than any other and he realized that he didn't want her to leave. What if she didn't come back?

He shook his head. "No. They'll lock her up. Don't trust the damn cops," he spat.

Mac stared him down, the definition of calm amid Daryl's silent raging. It was unusual for their roles to be reversed such as this, but Daryl didn't have time to dwell on that.

"Listen D...It's fucking done man. We're already booked on a flight that leaves in about," Mac glanced at the time on his cell. "Four hours."

Daryl growled in irritation. _Four hours?_ _Already booked?_ Everything was happening so fast and he just wasn't sure about anything.

"Wait... _we?_ " Daryl asked.

Mac nodded. "Not letting her go by herself. I need to be there to show her where to go, who to talk to."

Daryl took several long drags from his cigarette, trying to calm his nerves. His mind was spinning and he just needed a minute to think, time to sort some shit out.

Carol was just his friend and they barely knew each other so he didn't know why he was getting so upset. Or maybe he was getting upset because he wanted more than that. Earlier when she had touched his hand...he had enjoyed that contact more than he could have imagined. Even though he had been expecting something to happen regarding Ed, he hadn't really expected it this _soon._ But it hadn't even really happened that soon because she had been here for...three weeks. _Three weeks?_ It didn't even seem that long, if his math was even correct that is.

He knew that in reality Mac needed to go with her. Daryl didn't know Mac's people and he didn't know exactly _how_ Mac knew these people, but he trusted his cousin. As much as he wanted to go there with her, he knew that in reality it wasn't a good idea. The less people that she brought back with her the better. She definitely didn't need him along complicating things.

Finally he nodded at Mac, stubbing out his cigarette. "You trust this woman? Your connection? This isn't a setup?"

Mac rolled his eyes and clamped a hand onto Daryl's shoulder firmly, piercing blue eyes staring into the same shade of blue. He leaned forward until their foreheads were touching, about as affectionate as Mac ever got so Daryl knew that he meant it.

"I will bring her back...for you."

Daryl closed his eyes and then nodded as Mac took a step back away from him, the connection broken.

"I need to talk to her first. _Alone,_ " Daryl said.

Mac nodded. "Like I said, we got four hours before the flight. I'm making a run into town, getting some fucking supplies and then I'll swing back around for her."

"Alright," Daryl conceded. "See you in a bit."

...

Carol was drifting in and out of sleep and she wasn't sure why she had even tried to go back to sleep in the first place. She finally realized that it just wasn't going to happen for her and she sat up on the edge of the bed, letting her legs dangle over the side as she rolled her neck.

The sound of a knock on her door had her jumping, but then she heard Daryl's voice coming through the thick wood of the door.

"Carol, it's me."

She stood up, walking to the door and wondering why he was there. They had only just seen each other about an hour ago and now she was starting to think that something was wrong. Unlocking the door, she opened it and let him enter, feeling his nervous vibe immediately.

She glanced up at him questioningly. "Is everything alright?"

He ran a hand through his dark, wispy, hair and sighed, his eyes everywhere but on hers. Taking a chance, she reached out and touched him lightly on the shoulder. His eyes finally flitted down to hers.

"Daryl?"

"You gotta go back," he said suddenly and then mumbled a harsh string of curses underneath his breath.

Carol gazed up at him in confusion, "Back? Back where?"

"Kentucky." He gazed down at her, gauging her reaction.

Her eyes widened and he saw the fear seep into them. She dropped her hand from its place on his shoulder and took a step backwards.

"They're here?" She whispered, her eyes darting to the window, "Am I going to jail? Oh my God..."

Daryl took a quick step forward trying to defuse the situation. "No, you're not going to jail. Mac was just here. Whatever connection he's got in Kentucky got in touch with him. They need you back there...got some questions to ask you about what happened, but no one's said you're guilty of anything."

At least, he severely hoped not. As much as he trusted Mac, he was still nervous about the whole situation. If Mac said he would bring her back though, then he had to trust that he would do as he said. It was all he had.

Her expression was killing him, the mixture of sadness and resignation nearly doing him in. He was pretty sure that he felt almost as nervous as she did right now and he wasn't even the one having to go through it.

"Well I suppose I need to go back and face the music. After all, I did do the crime."

Daryl lifted her chin, his steel blue eyes locking with her forcefully. "You did what you had to do. You were completely justified and don't you forget it."

She nodded, blinking her eyes several times and matching his gaze, her expression changing to one of determination.

"You're right. I need to stop this. I'm not that same weepy woman anymore. It's time to grow up."

Daryl scoffed, his eyes changing over to a darker shade with his mood. He flicked his eyes downward and then back up to her again.

"You seem pretty damn grown up to me," he said boldly.

Her breath hitched, her lips parting as the meaning of his words registered within her. Her hand reached up, her fingers wrapping around the wrist of the hand that still held her chin in place. He tried not to think about how much her touch was setting him on fire right now. He tried to concentrate instead on less dangerous things.

She bit her lip, the action making his breath catch and consequently traveling down to his groin. They were still touching one another and although the angle of it all was awkward, neither one of them were letting go of the other. Carol stood on her tiptoes, arching upward, her breath fanning his face. Seizing the opportunity, he dropped his hold on her chin, his hands falling down to his sides as he waited. She placed shaking hands onto his shoulders, her eyes searching his in question. He gave a slight nod of his head, licking his lips in preparation.

Her lips met his, warm, soft, and all woman. He nearly groaned from the sensations coursing through his body. At first she just held her lips to his and he let her lead the kiss where she wanted it to go. She finally tilted her head slightly, increasing the pressure of her lips against his and he parted his lips, running his tongue out and across hers experimentally. She gasped and then pressed herself closer, parting her lips in turn, her tongue meeting his.

He sucked in a breath as he slid his tongue into her mouth and she moaned, the sound nearly doing him in. Hesitantly, his hands came up and he rested them on her hips. Her fingers tangled into his hair, her nails scraping his scalp lightly and making him shiver. She finally pulled back and he worried that he had gone too far so he began to take a step backward, but her fingers curled into his shirt.

"No," she pleaded. "I don't want you to stop. I just...I just need to catch my breath. If...If I go to jail, then I want to make this count," she blushed.

He nodded, unable to articulate anything at this point. She took two gulps of air and then nodded, walking backwards and tugging him with her. When her back hit the wall, she met his eyes again.

"I'm ready," she breathed.

Daryl placed one of his palms flat against the wall next to her head, still unable to really believe that this was happening. Lowering his head he hovered just over her lips, his tongue dragging lightly across her bottom lip. She moaned and he claimed her lips once more, his tongue sliding between hers without hesitation this time. She accepted him, her chest brushing against his as she fought for control of her breathing. She still had one hand fisted into his shirt and oddly enough the action only served to turn him on that much more.

He slowed his kisses down to a light caress, his lips barely gliding over hers before _he_ pulled away this time. As much as he didn't want to stop, he knew better than to push it. He leaned his forehead against hers, both of them fighting for breath.

Dragging his gaze away from her lips, he stared into her eyes.

"Come back to me," he whispered, his voice nearly silent.

She stared back at him searchingly and then she nodded firmly.

"Yes."

...............


	16. Chapter 16

...

"You gonna fucking pass out on me over there? What you got going on?"

Mac's voice cut over to Carol, but she was barely paying him any attention as she fought to control her breathing. She hadn't blinked an eyelash when Daryl had told her that they were flying, but now she was pretty sure that she was going to die. She hadn't ever been on a plane before now and she honestly hadn't ever given much thought to the whole idea of flying. Now that she was on the plane and it was increasing in altitude she was starting to reconsider.

Clutching the armrest that lay between them, she cast a quick glance at Mac. He was staring at her, his eyes calm and focused. She hated him for it.

"I don't think...that I'm cut out for flying," she observed.

He smirked, "You mean to tell me that you can do what you did, but you can't _fly_?"

Carol growled, her annoyance at the man shining through. He wasn't making this any easier on her and to top it all off, he was talking about things that he shouldn't be talking about in public.

"Are you serious right now? You're going to talk about this here?" She asked.

"Relax...there isn't anybody sitting near us and no one knows what I'm talking about."

"I can't relax...we all could die. There could be a horrible crash and the plane might break into little bitty pieces and we all die!" Carol knew she was being unreasonable, but she was starting to let her panic overwhelm her.

"So how long you been fucking my cousin?" Mac asked suddenly.

Carol gasped, turning shocked eyes to his, "What?"

The light for the seatbelts dinged and Mac unhooked his, reaching over to unhook hers as well while she stared at him open-mouthed.

"I'm not having-" She paused and looked around, lowering her voice an octave or two. "I'm not having sex with Daryl!" She hissed.

Mac smirked and settled back into his seat, leaning his head back as he made himself comfortable.

"Something happened between the two of you while I was gone. If you didn't fuck him, then what did you do?" He cracked one eye open and stared at her, "Did you blow him?"

Carol felt her face grow red and she slapped him on the arm, causing him to chuckle lewdly at her. As soon as she slapped him, she tensed as though she had done something wrong and he opened both eyes, staring at her openly.

"Sorry," she muttered quickly.

He was quiet for several minutes and she scooted back in her seat, glancing around the airplane. She hoped that he wasn't offended by her smacking him like that. She hadn't meant to do it really and it had been more of a reflex move than anything.

"You know, there's not many people in this God forsaken hell hole that I actually have conversations with. So on that count, you should consider yourself lucky. I also have never hit a woman in my entire life out of anger. Now in the bedroom...that's a totally different fucking story." He smiled wickedly.

Carol was quiet for several minutes, thinking about what Mac said.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're really brash?"

"Might have heard it a few times. I don't censor myself for anyone. I live my life how I want and if people can't handle that, then that's their fucking problem," he replied.

He leaned his head back against the seat again, closing his eyes. Carol studied him for a few minutes.

"I wish I could be like that," she admitted.

"You already are."

She narrowed her eyes in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You got out... changed shit. You said to hell with it all and you took a fucking chance. You've got it in you." He pressed one finger into her chest, over her heart. "You've just got to stoke that fire a little more and you'll see it surface. Rising from the ashes and all that shit."

...

Carol had no idea what she expected when meeting Mac's secret connection, but it wasn't what she saw. She could hardly contain her curiosity as they entered through the back door of the law firm and headed down a long hallway to a closed door. Mac strode through, his steps confident and she could tell that he must have been here before.

Knocking on the door, they both waited for several seconds before a female voice inside called, "Come in."

Carol held her breath as they entered what appeared to be a plush yet cozy lawyer's office. Glancing around Mac, Carol saw what she assumed to be the woman that Mac had been talking to this whole time and she wasn't what Carol had pictured. The woman definitely had a no nonsense attitude about her though and she looked Carol up and down intently as they took a seat in the chairs that were placed in front of her desk.

"Right on time, I'm impressed. I figured you would have dragged ass like usual. I took the liberty of ordering us in some lunch, I hope you don't mind," the woman said.

"You always were a bossy bitch," Mac said with a smirk.

The woman smiled coyly at him before turning her attention to Carol. "You must be Carol." It was more of a statement than a question.

Carol nodded, "And you must be...?"

The woman smiled and held out her hand, "My apologies. I thought Mac would have informed you a little about the situation by now, but I see he's being a slacker like usual. My name is Michonne Frazier."

Carol shook the woman's hand, taking in her neat appearance. Her hair was braided and pulled back from her face, her skin dark and incredibly smooth looking. Everything in her office looked as though it were impeccably placed and Carol had the sense that the woman liked things to be kept in some sort of order.

"Let's get down to business then, shall we? It's not everyday that Mac asks me for such a large favor," Michonne stated with a glance at Mac.

Carol cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, but I have to ask. How is it possible that you two know each other? Were you...lovers?" She blushed.

Michonne smiled, a hint of sadness creeping over her face and Mac raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"You really haven't told her anything, have you? Would you like to answer this or should I?"

Mac shrugged and turned his gaze to Carol. "Her brother Teddy and I were really close...Spent time in the big house together," Mac's jaw tightened. "Some shit went down in there and a fight broke out. Motherfuckers placed me in solitary...Teddy tried to help me out, but later one of those fucks shanked him when the guards weren't looking. It was bullshit and if the stupid ass pricks had been doing their fucking job, then Teddy would still be alive today."

Carol felt her heart go out to the both of them, knowing how hard it must be to lose someone that you cared for so much. She had felt the same loss when her parents had passed so many years ago.

"I don't understand though," she said to them both. "Why would you go to such lengths to help me?"

Michonne simply stared at her, leaning back in her leather office chair. Her eyes flicked over to Mac and then back to Carol again before she spoke.

"He avenged my brother's death." She shrugged, "For that alone, I can never repay him."

...

Daryl threw down the wrench he was using to tighten the nut on the radiator he was putting back into a car. Even with the radio blaring rock music into his ear, it was too damn quiet. The thought unnerved him. He had never had a problem with silence before now and in fact, he had always enjoyed the peace and quiet.

He had gotten used to Mac and Carol being in the shop and without them there, he was beginning to think he might go insane. Every time he did anything, his mind drifted to Carol and the kiss they had shared before she had left. Daryl had asked her to come back to him, something that he had never asked another woman before now. He wasn't the type of man to tell anyone that he needed them, but he was so worried that he might never see her again. She had slipped right under his radar and become somewhat of a permanent fixture around the place. She didn't talk too much, but just her presence had been comforting to him.

He wiped his grease smeared fingers onto his t-shirt, scowling at nothing in particular when the shirt clung to his skin irritating him further. Angrily, he whipped it over his head and flung it against the wall where it fell wadded into a corner of the shop. He lit himself a cigarette and leaned against one of the toolboxes, worrying himself.

He had no idea what was going on aside from the fact that they had made it to Kentucky in one piece. Mac had texted him once they had departed the plane and he had said that he would text him again later when he found out more information. Patience hadn't ever been one of Daryl's strong points and all of this waiting was quite literally going to kill him. If something happened to her...

"Well don't you look like shit?" Andrea surmised as she entered into the shop.

Daryl blinked in surprise. He hadn't even heard her drive up.

"Long damn day," he muttered.

Andrea raised a brow at that statement. She reached into her purse and pulled out a pack of his favorite beef jerky, tossing it to him. He looked at it in surprise.

"What's this for?"

She shrugged as she made herself a seat on an overturned crate. "Figured you might need some food therapy. I know I usually do when I don't get to see Mac for a few days."

He smirked, "Thought there wasn't anything going on between you two?"

She gave him the finger. "You know damn well that there is. It's just always been more fun denying it. Kind of makes it seem sexy, sneaking around and all, you know?"

He didn't know. He had never had that kind of relationship with any woman and he couldn't see the appeal in pretending something didn't exist when it clearly did. Putting out his cigarette, he tore open the pack of jerky, sticking a handful into his mouth to suck on.

"What?" He demanded when he noticed that Andrea was watching him with an amused expression.

"You've got it bad for her, don't you?"

Daryl scoffed, "Since when you trying to be all up in my business?"

"I'm not, but I can see that you feel something for her. I don't know much of what's going on around here because Mac won't talk to me about it. When he gets it in his head to be tight-lipped about something, nothing will make him crack. I only know that Carol is obviously in some sort of trouble and Mac is apparently the one who can help her. Am I right?"

Daryl shrugged indifferently. He didn't feel like getting into the details with Andrea, especially not right now anyway.

"You don't have to worry about anything. They're gonna be fine," he said as he set about cleaning up some of the tools that had gotten scattered in the midst of his frustration.

"Are you sure?" Andrea couldn't disguise the worry in her voice, making his own worry turn over deep in his gut.

"They're gonna be fine," Daryl repeated.

He would keep telling himself that over and over until he had cause to believe otherwise. It was all he had right now.

...


	17. Chapter 17

...

"So, let me get this straight...he pulled his belt off, intending to hit you with it and you pulled a gun on him? Is that right?" Michonne asked.

Carol nodded as she twisted her hands in her lap. She had just gotten done recounting everything that had happened with Ed to Michonne, even down to where she had gotten the gun and the car. Even though they were just having an informal discussion Carol still felt like she was on trial.

"Yes, that's right," Carol replied, licking her dry lips and just wanting to leave.

Michonne sat back in her chair, tapping her pencil onto her desk. "I think I've heard all I need to hear and this is how we're going to play this. Self defense," Michonne stated. "Ed threatened you numerous times, made you feel unsafe in your own home, and refused to let you leave. Having gone to the police station once to no avail, you were finding yourself out of options so you acquired the gun. You thought that by purchasing the gun that you would be able to flash it around and get Ed to back off enough so that you could leave. When that didn't happen and he came at you with his belt, intending to beat you once again, you used the only protection available to you at the moment...you shot him," Michonne explained.

Mac nodded, folding his hands together in front of his face and staring at them intently. "Sounds like a fucking winner to me, but what kind of guarantee can you give me that she won't get arrested?"

Michonne swiveled her chair in Mac's direction, "You of all people should know my credentials very well by now, but since Carol doesn't I will explain them for her benefit." She turned her chair back in Carol's direction, pinning her with her gaze. "Out of the ten years that I have practiced law, I have probably had...oh let's say five hundred cases just to round it off. Out of those five hundred cases, I would say about one fourth of those were abuse cases and out of those one forth, I have lost a total of three cases."

Carol had to admit that she was impressed. The longer she talked with Michonne, the better she began to feel about the whole situation. She wasn't entirely crazy like she had started to think at one time. She was merely the victim of too much abuse for too long and so she had snapped so to speak.

She inhaled a deep breath and glanced at Mac and Michonne. "So what happens now?"

"Well first they're going to want to question you, but I'm thinking that if I let them question you then they will eat you alive in that room. So here's what I'm going to do. First thing in the morning, I'm going to talk to the county prosecutors and see about getting a trial for you," Carol's breath hitched and Michonne held up a hand to signal that she wasn't done. " _Then_ , in this trial I'm going to present the evidence that I have and get you free and cleared of all charges so that you are free to live your life wherever that may be."

"And if I'm the fourth case?" Carol's heart began to beat faster in her chest.

She wasn't cut out for prison and she knew that. If for some reason this whole thing went south and she was arrested, she knew she would never survive a life in jail. She was starting to sweat just thinking about it. Maybe she would have been better off just continuing to live her life of abuse with Ed. Then her thoughts drifted to Daryl and she thought about how she would have never met him had she not have gotten the guts to get herself out of a bad situation.

Michonne smiled, or at least she did what Carol had found was her version of a smile.

"I took the liberty of searching Ed's background before you two arrived and I bet you'll be shocked to know that he was married before?" Michonne asked.

Carol gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. "Come again?"

Michonne nodded while Mac let out a low whistle.

"He was married for six months before he met you. They divorced on the grounds of domestic violence... _during_ which time she had to get a restraining order against Ed. I'm not surprised you didn't know about it. He did a decent job at trying to cover it, but not good enough." Michonne smirked and tapped her fingers together. "Then there's a little something called the _abuse defense._ Have either of you ever heard of Lorena Bobbitt?"

Mac chuckled, "That the chick that cut off her husband's dick with a kitchen knife?"

Carol remembered hearing something about that a long time ago on TV, but she wondered how exactly it would be able to help her.

"Yes, that's the one. We're going to use that as part of our defense, claiming that you were forced into shooting your husband on the accounts of self defense and temporary insanity," Michonne explained.

"But I'm not insane...Won't they lock me up in a psychiatric ward somewhere?" Carol asked.

Michonne shook her head. "No. They will want you to be evaluated by a psychiatrist to determine your mental state, but you'll sail through that with flying colors. Once those things have been completed, I hope we can get a verdict of not guilty."

"And if we don't?" Mac snapped. "I won't let them fucking take her. I made a promise..."

"Nothing in this life is ever guaranteed, but I'm nearly one hundred percent sure that I can get you out of this. You just have to trust me because this won't work without complete in each other. Can you do that?" Michonne asked her.

Carol glanced at Mac whose eyes cut over to hers, his own dark and intense and reminding her of his cousin back in Georgia. It was all real now...It was happening. What happened next determined her answer to Michonne's question and Carol knew what she had to do. She couldn't live a life hiding away somewhere and she wouldn't darken Daryl's doorstep anymore with her baggage. If she returned, she wanted to return a free woman.

"Yes," Carol nodded, her eyes still lingering on Mac before switching to Michonne. "Yes, I trust you."

...

Daryl pulled into his driveway and switched off the truck, taking a minute to stare at the dark and empty cabin that Carol had occupied. The damn thing hadn't ever bothered him by being empty before, but now the pitch black windows seemed to glare back at him in the light of the setting sun.

He was tired, having worked himself nearly to the bone on purpose before stopping in town to get some food and head home. He had worked himself like a dog all damn day just so that his mind would hopefully be too exhausted to keep him up tonight. His stomach had been rumbling all day and it hadn't been from hunger. Worry had been gnawing at his gut, causing his appetite to shrivel to nearly nothing.

Dragging his tired body from the truck, he made the slow walk to his back door and let himself inside. Kicking off his boots, he stripped out of his shirt and jeans, leaving the clothes were they fell as he made his way to the bathroom. Switching on the faucets to the hottest setting he could stomach he stepped under the spray.

He breathed out a long sigh, resting one hand on the tiled wall as the water rained down over his shoulders and back. The hot water felt good trailing over his body and he groaned as he popped his neck and knuckles. Scrubbing his face and hair until he felt presentable again, he stayed for a few more moments before finally stepping out. Grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist, he crossed to the bathroom sink and wiped off a layer of condensation so that he could see to shave.

His cell phone began to ring as he turned on the water in the sink and he quickly switched it back off, nearly dropping his towel in his haste to find the phone. He had to backtrack back to the living room and dig around in his jeans pocket before finding it.

"Damn it!" He hissed as he swiped at the screen three times before it finally registered and accepted the call.

"Hello?" 

"Daryl?"

Daryl's heart began to pound and he took several steps to the side, leaning against the wall to support himself.

"Carol?" He let her name escape his lips almost on a sigh.

"I just wanted to check in and let you know that we're alright. Mac checked us into a hotel room and-"

"A hotel room?" He growled, picturing a queen sized bed and Carol in the pajamas he had seen her wearing just the other night.

"Um, yeah. Michonne said it was safe here and she gave us cash to use. There's two beds and Mac says-"

"Wait, who the hell is Michonne?" Daryl felt like he was growling at her and he lowered his tone slightly.

Carol inhaled deeply and it was just then that he recognized how exhausted she seemed.

"Oh, right...I forgot you don't know who Michonne is. Michonne is my lawyer...the one who is going to hopefully get me out of this mess," Carol explained. "I would tell you more, but she said that I shouldn't say too much over the phone."

"Right. Well..." Daryl perched the cell on his shoulder, holding it with his ear while he walked into his room to fish for a clean pair of boxers. "How's things going? She pretty confident she can help you? What happens now?"

"She seems really confident and I feel slightly better since I've talked with her. She's going to try and get a trial set up for me."

Daryl leaned his forehead against the top of his dresser, trying to absorb her words.

"A trial? That could take months though, right?" He hated how desperate he sounded, but he had watched plenty of movies and trials always seemed to take forever.

"She seems to think that we can get one within the week. I hope it doesn't take months...I'm kind of ready to come back," she admitted softly.

"Yeah. The shop's pretty quiet." Daryl chuckled, but without any humor.

"Yeah," she agreed. He could hear Mac in the background and then she was back at the phone. "Mac wants to speak with you, so I guess I'm going to turn in and try to get some sleep...Daryl?"

"Yeah?" He breathed.

"Thanks...for everything...you know, just in case I don't get to come back."

...


	18. Chapter 18

...

"When are you coming back Mac?"

Andrea had been sleeping at Mac's place since he had gone and she hated to admit that she was starting to miss him. As much of an asshole as he could be at times, he was _her_ asshole, and she wasn't used to having to be away from him. Even though it had only been one night, to her it felt like it had been a week. She knew better than to say anything to him about it though. He would just tell her to quit whining. At the moment she was surprised that he was even holding a conversation with her on the phone at all. He wasn't a phone person and he only carried a cell for emergency purposes.

"Soon as I get shit taken care of," he replied.

Andrea sighed, knowing that that was the best answer that she was going to get from him. At least she could say that he had always been honest with her about shit, even if he had been vague about it.

"Where you been staying?" He asked, catching her off guard.

"At your house," she admitted and then just because she knew it would torture him she added, "In your bed."

She could tell by his sharp intake of breath that he had heard her and the line grew silent for several moments.

"So you been staying at my house, eating up all my shit, and leaving your scent all over my sheets...is that right?"

Andrea chuckled, toying with a strand of her hair. "That about sums it up."

"You better be ready for me when I come home Andrea."

Andrea shivered, just like she did every time that he said her name. Mac hardly ever said her name, so when he actually did she got such a thrill from it.

"I'll be ready... _sir._ " She bit her lip, knowing the reaction that it would get from him.

"You want me to spank you is that it? Want me to fuck you like the bad girl that you are?" His voice was lower, more intense and Andrea felt herself getting turned on by the conversation.

She lay back on his bed, letting his scent that still lingered on the sheets surround her. She unzipped her shorts and waited with bated breath for him to continue.

" _Oh my God! Are you having phone sex?"_

Andrea sat up in the bed, covering her mouth as she heard Carol's shocked voice travel through the phone. Mac growled through the phone, the noise almost causing her to burst into a fit of giggles.

"Well not any fucking more, am I? You take the fastest damn showers of any woman I know," he replied to Carol.

Andrea zipped her shorts back up, the moment lost and she simply lay there listening to them. They sounded almost like siblings and she held back another snicker that threatened to spill from her lips.

"It's okay baby. We can always try again another time," Andrea offered.

"How's D?" Mac asked, ignoring her statement.

Andrea thought about Daryl. She hadn't talked to him much since she had taken him the jerky the other day. She caught glimpses of him at the shop whenever she passed by and he had been looking pretty busy for the most part.

"I guess he's okay. I think he misses Carol though. Seems to be pretty busy down at the shop whenever I ride by."

"Fucker ain't busy, he's just pretending to be busy. There's a damn difference," Mac sighed. "Alright. We're heading out to get some goddamn food since there's little else to do around here. I'll get back in touch with you soon. You have any fucking problems, you let D know," he said firmly.

"Okay. I'll talk to you later."

"Later."

Mac hung up and Andrea threw her cell phone onto the bed behind her. She didn't know why she kept expecting him to say that he loved her, but for some reason she kept getting disappointed when he didn't. She knew that love wasn't a word in Mac's vocabulary...She had known that from the beginning. Still, she wondered if maybe one day he might change, might feel something more for her...like she did for him.

...

Carol finished drying her hair and she grabbed a tie to pull it back from her face. Satisfied that she at least appeared decent, she headed back into the room where Mac was laid back on one of the beds flipping through the television.

Michonne had called them that morning to say that she would be meeting with the county and state prosecutors throughout the day and that she hoped that by the end she would have a date for the trial. Until then, she told them to stick close to town and keep their appearances to a minimum. The small hotel room was starting to close in on them though and it had been Carol's idea for them to find somewhere that they could get some food.

She just hadn't expected to walk into the room and hear Mac sounding like he was at the beginnings of a round of phone sex. She had to admit the phrases that he had uttered had made her face burn. She hadn't ever had phone sex before and she didn't think that she was cut out for something like that. She wasn't the type to say dirty things, much less over the phone.

"You ready now buzzkill?" Mac's voice drifted over to her, pulling her from her thoughts.

She frowned, "I'm sorry...I didn't know."

He shook his head with a smirk and gestured with a nod of his head towards the door. "Let's go."

...

They ended up at a pizza joint that also had a bar and they grabbed a booth somewhere in the back away from everyone else. Mac ordered himself a drink while Carol chose water and they sat in silence while they waited. Carol noticed that several women in the bar kept shooting interested glances in Mac's direction, but when she glanced at him he didn't appear to be paying them any attention.

"He's missing you, you know," he said suddenly.

Carol blinked, her eyes turning to his in surprise, "Who?"

"Daryl."

"Oh." Carol blushed, ducking her head slightly as the waitress returned with their drinks, saving her from a more detailed reply.

They ordered a pizza to share between the two of them and the waitress hurried off to put in their order, Mac smirking at her from across the table. He stood, catching her attention.

"Gotta piss."

Carol watched him walk towards the bathrooms and past the women that had been eyeballing him. She sipped at her water while she waited, urging the time to move faster with her brain. She hated how slow everything seemed to be going, how the days were dragging by at a snail's pace it seemed.

"Hey there, pretty lady. Might I interest you in a dance?" A male voice said.

Carol looked up and into the stranger's eyes, clearly confused about what was happening. No one else was dancing, but there was music playing on a jukebox. The man had dark blonde hair and one of those mustaches that she had only seen in old western movies. He definitely wasn't her type, but even if he had been, Carol wasn't in the mood for dancing unless it was with one man in particular and he wasn't even in the same state as her right now.

She shook her head, "No thanks."

He twirled the end of his mustache with two fingers, "I promise I won't bite." He stuck out one hand in her direction.

"Suggest you take your dick and your hand to another fucking table if you know what's good for you cowboy," Mac's low voice threatened.

Carol watched the man turn and take in Mac's appearance. It was very clear to anyone that Mac was not a force to be reckoned with. His eyes glittered with warning and the stranger nodded his head, casting her an apologetic glance.

"Sorry for intruding ma'am," he apologized and stepped around Mac, quickly walking off.

Mac resumed his place in the booth across from her, picking up his drink to sip as he stared off in the direction that the man had gone. Carol noticed that his eyes were no longer their piercing shade of blue and they had darkened considerably. She found his eyes fascinating and without realizing it, she was staring at him intently.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say that you're checking me out," he commented, his eyes shifting back to hers.

Carol gasped, inhaling her water so fast that she choked slightly. Their food arrived and she turned her head to cough several times before shooting Mac a glare.

"For your information I _was_ checking you out, but not in _that_ way. I was studying your eyes and how they change colors with your emotions," she replied haughtily.

"I know. I was just fucking with you. You're beautiful, but you ain't my type," he said as he took a bite of his pizza, his eyes scanning the bar.

Carol blushed at the compliment and then frowned. "What is your type?"

"Blonde, busty, and just the right amount of ass." He winked at her.

"So basically, you just described Andrea. Why don't you just admit that you're in love with her?" Carol asked curiously.

Mac scoffed, "Love's for pussies...like you and my cousin."

She gasped. "I never said I loved Daryl!"

He smirked knowingly. "You will."

...


	19. Chapter 19

...

_"Mrs. Peletier, what type of husband would you say that Ed was?"_

_"Ed was...Ed was a wolf in sheep's clothing. When we first started dating, he was very attentive and polite, everything a boyfriend should be. Only when we were married did he start to show his true colors. He became abusive...just emotionally at first, calling me names and insulting me. From there it escalated with a slap to the face when I would say something he didn't like. It got to the point that he would seem to seek out reasons to hit me...kind of like he got off on it or something."  
_

_"Did he ever threaten you with your life if you left?"_

_"Yes and no. He told me once that if I ever tried to leave him then he would find me and I wouldn't like the consequences. I could only assume that that's what he meant," Carol replied._

_"Did you ever try counseling?"_

_Carol shook her head, "No. Ed didn't want anyone knowing our business."_

_"I see. What about the police? Did you ever go to them about the abuse?"_

_"I went to the police station once. Ed thought I was at the grocery store. They told me that I could get a restraining order which would mean that Ed would have to stay away from me...I asked them what I was supposed to do if he didn't listen and they said to call them. I didn't because I knew that Ed would never obey a piece of paper and calling the police wouldn't keep me safe until they got there."_

_"No further questions at the moment Your Honor."_

_..._

"Daryl?"

Daryl reached over and smacked off the radio inside of the shop, his grip on his cell phone slipping because of his oil coated hands.

"Carol? Is that you?" 

Daryl knew that today was the day. Mac had called him just this morning to tell him that they were having a small trial that would determine Carol's fate. It had been four days since she had left Georgia, four _long_ days in fact. He was a complete mess, had been all day since he had found out about it. It was difficult to concentrate with his mind constantly straying, wanting to know how everything was going.

"I don't know if I can do this anymore," she gasped through the phone and Daryl gripped it between his ear and shoulder as he grabbed a shop rag to wipe his fingers with.

"What's happening? You finished yet?" He asked.

"No. We're on a recess or something so that we can eat, but I can't eat. I just want to leave. It's too hard...the questions, they're so... _personal."_

Daryl sighed, feeling helpless and frustrated. He hadn't ever heard Carol sound so rough and now he was wishing that he hadn't ever asked Mac to help her. Maybe he would have just been better off to leave things as they had been. He could have hidden Carol, maybe they could have dyed her hair or gotten her a whole new identity...

"Are you still there?" Carol asked, snapping him back to present.

"I'm still here," Daryl chewed on his now moderately oily thumb. "When you think they're gonna tell you something?"

"I don't know. Michonne says we could know something as soon as the end of today...I'm scared," she admitted.

Daryl inhaled sharply, not really knowing what he was supposed to say to her. He could tell her not to be scared, but what good would that do? She was still going to be scared and she had every right to be. This kind of thing was a pretty big deal and not one to be taken lightly.

"I'm sure everything's gonna be fine," he said lamely.

There was a a shuffle in the background and he could hear Carol pull away from the phone and say something. She came back a few moments later.

"They're fixing to call us back in. I guess I should go," she said solemnly.

Daryl swallowed, not really wanting the conversation to be over yet. All they had had for the past four days had been hurried conversations and it wasn't enough. He wanted to see her, not just hear her voice. He was going completely crazy.

"Wait! Is Mac around?" 

"Yeah. Hang on just a second," she said.

"Carol!" He barked into the phone, intending to wish her good luck or something, but he wasn't fast enough and seconds later Mac was on the phone.

"Make it quick D. We're about to head back inside."

"How is she? _Really?_ " Daryl asked.

He didn't want any bullshit answers and he knew that Mac would be the one to tell it to him straight.

"I think she's on the verge of having a goddamn nervous breakdown, but other than that I would say she's fucking peachy," Mac replied.

Daryl sighed, "Tell her I'm thinking about her. I didn't get to tell her...I..." His words failed him and he held the phone in silence, reluctant to break the connection.

"I know D...and she knows too."

...

_"Mrs. Peletier, were you aware of the fact that you weren't Ed's first marriage?"_

_"I...I wasn't until I arrived here, no."_

_"And were you given the details of his divorce?"_

_"Yes. I was told that he and his first wife were divorced on the grounds of domestic abuse. She had to file a restraining order on him," Carol replied softly._

_"That's correct. So Ed never mentioned this first marriage to you?"_

_Carol shook her head, clearing her throat nervously. "No. I was under the assumption that I was his first marriage."_

_"I see. So in other words he lied to you from the beginning by trying to hide his past history of abuse with another woman. A woman who had to file a restraining order against him and when that failed to protect her, she filed for a divorce."_

_"I'm sorry. What was the question?" Carol asked._

_"No question. Just making a statement for the court. Ed was a manipulator, an abuser with a history of abuse, an alcoholic, and a liar. Does that sound like a fairly accurate list of his characteristics?"_

_"Objection! Matter of opinion!"_

_"Objection denied. Please answer the question Mrs. Peletier."  
_

_Carol nodded, "Yes, all of those sound like Ed."_

_"I also see a few counts on his record for bar brawls. Did you know about those?"_

_"Yes. I was aware that he had gotten into fights at bars, but I didn't keep count of how many times."  
_

_"Seven times Mrs. Peletier, seven times."_

_Carol nodded to indicate that she had heard the statement. Her mind was reeling with all of this information. Most of it she knew, but some of it she hadn't and she felt like all of her time spent being married to Ed had been a complete and utter failure. She could only pray that the whole trial finished sooner rather than later because she didn't know how much longer she could hang onto her sanity._

_"So it's safe to assume that Ed was unpredictable at best. He pushed you to the point that you just couldn't take it anymore and you snapped when he came after you with his belt. Humans are not punching bags and there is only so much that some of us can take before we reach our breaking point. I think you had reached that point."_

_"No further comments Your Honor."_

_..._

_"Mrs. Peletier, wouldn't it have been easier for you to just go to the police or a neighbor for help instead of shooting your husband in cold blood?"_

_"Objection You Honor. Speculation."_

_"Granted. Please restate the question."_

_"Very well. Wouldn't it have been easier for you to go to someone else for help like the police or a neighbor for instance?"_

_"It probably would have and thinking back on it now, I should have done so. At the time he had me beaten to the point where I felt that it was hopeless to escape, where no matter where I went that he would find me. I was terrified that if I left then he would find me and beat me or worse - kill me. If you've never been a victim of domestic abuse, then you'll never know how hard it is to escape once you find yourself in that type of situation. I had no friends and no family left living that I could turn to. Ed had pretty much alienated me from everyone. He didn't want me to have a life other than him," Carol explained._

_"Why didn't you just try to wound him then? Why kill him?"  
_

_Carol swallowed, wringing her hands back and forth in her lap. She inhaled a shaky breath._

_"Ed was a big man. He outweighed me by about one hundred pounds. If I had shot Ed and only wounded him, I truly believe that the intense rage he would have felt would have allowed him to overpower me resulting ultimately in my death. People like Ed...monsters...they don't deserve kind words or treatment. I certainly never got that in all the time I was married to him," Carol lifted her eyes and stared straight ahead, her gaze unwavering. "If you were to take even the meekest of animals and put it in a cage with little room to move or grow...constantly poke at it with a sharp stick and refuse to take care of it...that animal would eventually find a way to fight back."_

_Carol could feel the tears begin to fall down her cheeks and she didn't even bother trying to swipe at them. Michonne had told her that if she felt the need to cry then to let it flow and she knew she wouldn't be able to stop it anyhow so she did._

_"I'm not a monster," she said shakily. "I'm just like that animal in that cage. I just decided to fight back."_

_With that being said, she collapsed at the stand, her vision going dark, the tears that had recently fallen still dripping down from her cheeks._

_"Do something!" Mac's voice shouted in the background._

_The last thing she heard was the sound of the gavel and several voices before everything went silent._

_..._


	20. Chapter 20

...

"What the fuck is wrong with her?" Mac raged as he paced the small office with Michonne who was currently pressing a washcloth to Carol's face.

"She just passed out Mac. It's the stress of it all probably. She'll be fine in a few minutes," Michonne replied.

He growled at Michonne, knowing damn well it wasn't her fault, but having no where else to channel his anger at the moment. He had been livid when Carol had collapsed and it had taken two bailiffs to hold him back from taking a leap at the prosecutor questioning Carol. The judge had threatened to kick him out if he couldn't contain himself and Michonne had threatened him with his life. He had only calmed down because he ultimately didn't want to do any harm to Carol's case.

"She better be fine!" He snapped, holding his clenched fists down by his sides.

"She will. Calm yourself. She doesn't need to awaken and see you this upset. It could likely set her off again," Michonne said.

"I could fucking kill that bastard," Mac said in a low voice.

His eye was twitching, something that usually only happened when he was really upset about something and he had no way to alleviate the stress. He briefly thought of calling Daryl, but then thought better of it. He would only make the man worry and he knew that his cousin was already worried out of his mind.

It had finally happened. His cousin had gone and fallen in love with this woman that ironically Mac had grown fond of as well. Daryl had gone on his share of dates over the years, women never having been in short supply for a Dixon, but none of those women had ever stuck around. As far as Mac knew Daryl hadn't ever felt more than a passing feeling for any of the women, but then again he hadn't always been around. He had taken off for several years, not including his time spent in jail, before eventually coming back home to Georgia.

"She's been through a lot, hasn't she?" Michonne said softly from her position perched next to Carol.

Mac nodded, his jaw tight. "Damn straight. I'm surprised she's held up this long. Fucking tough as nails, that one."

Michonne chuckled. "Yes, yes she is." She was quiet for several minutes, flipping the rag over and placing it back onto Carol's forehead.

Mac leaned against the fancy desk that occupied the office, feeling out of place amid all of the fancy stuff. He was much more at home covered in dirt and cheap shit. That he could handle.

There was a knock at the door and it opened a crack, revealing one of the bailiffs from the courtroom.

"The judge has reached a final decision when she comes to," the man said firmly, his eyes sweeping the room as Michonne nodded and he exited as quickly as he came.

Mac exchanged a glance with Michonne and suddenly he knew what he needed to do. Standing up straight he walked over to the couch, moving next to Carol.

"She ain't gonna like this, but it's gotta be done," Mac said.

With that being said, he reached over and slapped Carol on the face.

...

Carol shifted, her eyes fluttering open as she slowly came alert. She blinked, her stare coming into focus onto Michonne and Mac who was standing to Michonne's left. It took a minute for the events to come rushing back to her, but once they did she rushed to sit up. Michonne's hand pushed against her to hold her steady.

"Easy," Michonne coaxed.

"What happened? Are they locking me up? Oh my God," Carol groaned as she rested her head in her hands.

"You passed the fuck out. They made their decision though. They're ready for you," Mac said, his voice gruff.

Carol struggled to stand, her stomach doing flops at that statement and he reached out a hand grabbing onto her elbow for support. She smiled at him softly.

"I'm not dead Mac. I just passed out is all," she said.

He blinked as if startled that she would say something like that to him and then he shook his head with a smirk.

"Smartass," he muttered.

Carol turned to Michonne who had just stood up and she pasted a big smile onto her face even though smiling was the last thing she felt like doing at the moment.

"So this is it then? The moment I go into there, I'm going to find out if I have to leave here in a pair of handcuffs?" Carol's voice cracked and her smile wavered slightly, but she swallowed it down and refused to cry.

Michonne nodded, her serious expression looking as if it might crack at any given moment.

"This is it...Are you ready?" Michonne asked.

"No," Carol chuckled humorlessly. "But I need to know."

She turned to Mac and squeezed his hand briefly, only holding it for a few seconds.

"If I don't make it, will you tell Daryl that I'm sorry for bringing my problems to him?" 

Mac huffed. "D don't do any fucking thing he doesn't want to do. You best remember that. Besides, you can tell him your fucking self. Now suck it up and let's get this the hell over with so that we can go home."

...

Daryl braced himself on shaky arms over the shop toilet as he heaved the entire contents of his stomach into the bowl. He had been feeling like shit all day, the worst part having been not knowing what was going on with Carol and the trial. Sitting down next to the bowl, he wiped at his face with the red shop rag that he carried around in his back pocket.

Andrea passed him a water bottle from the doorway. She had come up just as he had made a mad dash for the bathroom, having just gotten off work.

He accepted the bottle gratefully. "Thanks," he muttered.

He took several sips, swishing the water around in his mouth before spitting it back out into the toilet. He sighed, resting one arm across his knee. It was rare for him to be sick at all, even though he wasn't actually sick. This was more from nerves than anything else.

All day he had been feeling this knot in the pit of his stomach to the point where he finally had to just stop working. He began to piddle around the shop instead, not quite ready to go home. He would have a lot of shit to catch up on later, especially with Mac having been gone too, but he would just have to figure out a way to make it work. Today wasn't a productive day for him and anything he touched, he was liable to mess up more than fix at this moment.

Finally he climbed to his feet and walked past Andrea who stepped out of the way for him to pass through to the bay area. She followed him, pulling up a chair and watching him.

"Maybe you should sit," she suggested.

He scoffed. "I hate this shit! I hate not fucking knowing anything!"

Reaching into his pocket for his cell, he checked the time and saw that it was a few minutes past five in the afternoon. There were no missed calls and Daryl promised himself that if they didn't call by five-thirty then he was going to call them. Somebody needed to tell him something before he went off the deep end.

"I'm sure everything's fine. They'll call when they can," Andrea said.

Daryl closed his eyes with a sigh. He knew that she was just trying to be friendly and all, but he just wasn't in the mood. The only reason he hadn't snapped at her already was because she was Andrea and she was his friend. Picking up a wrench from the floor, he toyed with it just to have something to do with his hands. He really wanted a cigarette, but he was out. He had been smoking like a freight train all day and now all of his cigarettes were gone until he went to the store and got more.

"I be-" Andrea's voice was cut off by the shrill ringing of Daryl's cell phone.

He had turned the ringer on high earlier so that he wouldn't miss the call and now it startled him so badly that he nearly jumped clear out of his skin at the sound. Shaking his head at himself, he pulled the phone from his pocket again.

"Well?" He barked.

"I'll let her tell you," Mac said.

Daryl couldn't tell by Mac's tone if that was a good or a bad thing. He was assuming that it couldn't be too bad since Mac was putting her on the phone with him, but he didn't want to get too excited yet.

"Daryl?" Carol's voice came over the line.

She had been crying. He could hear it in her voice and he held his breath as he waited for the news.

"Just spit it out," he mumbled, unable to wait any longer.

"Not guilty," she whispered, her voice starting to shake. "I had to do a psychiatric evaluation and I'm going to have to do community service for a while, but Michonne pulled some strings and I can complete that in Georgia. I'm free...Daryl, I'm coming home. We're catching the next flight out," Carol's voice droned on, but all Daryl heard was the fact that she was free and she was coming home.

Anything else after that didn't really matter as much to him right now. _Home._ She had said she was coming _home._

_..._

Carol could hardly contain herself as Mac drove his truck up Daryl's driveway and she breathed out a relieved sigh when the cabins finally came into view. She had missed this sight so badly, but there was something else she had missed even more. The man that came walking out of the house as soon as Mac switched off the truck and Carol's breath caught as she realized how much she really _had_ missed him.

His hair was still slightly damp from a shower, the ends curling around the nape of his neck and around his ears. He had on a white cotton shirt that might as well have been clear because when the sun shone down she could see his chest through it. Not that she minded however. He had on blue jeans and he was barefoot, something she realized he actually liked to do when he was around the house.

She climbed out of the cab of the truck and smiled at him, walking over to him slowly when all she really wanted to do was jump into his arms and kiss him breathless like he had done her before she had left. So many things had changed with this trip. She no longer had her old life hanging over her head anymore. She was technically a free woman and she intended to live that life to the fullest extent possible, starting with the man in front of her.

Reaching him, she stopped and stared up at him, his blue eyes swirling with different colors as he returned the stare. She had missed those eyes and his friendship most of all.

"Miss me?" She asked softly, tilting her head as she stared.

He sucked in a breath, closing his eyes briefly. "Yes," he whispered.

Her heart swelled at that fact and before she could rethink her decision, she grabbed his face with both hands, pulling his lips to hers. He stood there in shock for several seconds and then his strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her close within his body. Her lips glided over his and he prodded at her closed mouth with his tongue, seeking entrance. She opened for him and he swept inside, staking his claim on her. She melted into him with a sigh, running her hands through his damp hair and making him shudder. It was everything she could ever want in a kiss and more. It was perfect because it was Daryl.

When he finally pulled away, seeming reluctant to lift his lips from hers, he seemed to remember that Mac was there. He looked across the top of Carol's head.

"Oh don't fucking mind me...I'm enjoying the little show. Do continue," Mac said dryly.

Daryl gave Mac the finger and then grinned, relief showing through his features. She took the opportunity to study him and she saw that he looked exhausted and vaguely she wondered if he had been sleeping at all since she had been gone. To think that she might be the reason that he lost sleep was mind boggling to her.

"Thanks," Daryl said, the word heavy with emotion.

"No big deal. You fucking owe me one now though," Mac said.

"You name it. Speaking of, there's a little blonde number that might be waiting on you at your place. Told me to tell you not to take too long," Daryl called.

"What she look like? I know a shitload of blondes!" Mac joked as he climbed inside of his truck and fired up the engine.

Daryl stared back down at her and she blushed under his steady gaze. He grabbed her by the hand and gestured towards his cabin.

"Want to come in?" He asked in a low voice.

Carol swallowed, her heart beating fast and she nodded, giving his hand a small squeeze.

"Yes."

...


	21. Chapter 21

...

Carol followed Daryl into his cabin, her hand still in his. He hadn't made any attempts to let go so she hadn't either. He stopped in his living room and turned to look at her, his eyes drifting up from the floor to slowly meet hers.

He shoved his free hand into one of his pockets, "You thirsty?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm okay."

He nodded and let go of her hand to gesture towards the couch, "Have a seat."

She sat down on the couch and he took the seat next to her, the silence in the room almost deafening. She kept glancing at him out of the corner of her eye and saw that he was drumming his fingers somewhat nervously on the arm of the couch.

"How have things been here?" She asked.

He shrugged, "Been managing."

She shifted, sliding one leg underneath her body to get more comfortable. She scooted so that she was angled in his direction.

"I feel like I've been gone forever." She chuckled nervously, reaching up to tuck a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Damn near feels like it," he commented.

Carol looked down at her hands that were folded in her lap and picked at her nails to keep her hands busy. Outside she had had the courage to kiss him, but now she felt like she might explode in one big ball of tension and nerves. Her hair fell into her eyes again and she sighed. She felt the couch shift and then his fingers were sweeping the stray strand back, his skin grazing her ear as he tucked it firmly back into place. She could feel her face flaming.

"Thanks."

He nodded, bringing his hand back, but she reached out and she grabbed it. He glanced at her and she stared back into his the depths of his blue eyes. She toyed with his fingers, not really sure what she was doing, but feeling this insane urge to touch him.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?" He asked suddenly.

Carol blinked at him, unsure if she had heard him right.

"Dinner?" She repeated numbly.

A tiny smile played around his lips and he nodded. "Yeah...you know that meal you eat at the end of the day?"

She smiled, "I would love to."

His eyes traveled to her lips and unconsciously she felt herself lick them. His jaw twitched and he swallowed hard. Leaning forward he placed one hand on the back of her neck, his warm breath barely grazing her face.

"I wanna kiss you," he whispered.

She nodded, her fingers reaching up to curl into his shirt tightly as she pulled herself forward the last few inches. When their lips met it was like liquid fire and she leaned forward further, trying to press herself to him as tight as possible. His hand stayed to the back of her head, soft yet firm and he applied gentle pressure, his lips soft and giving. Carol sighed into the kiss, allowing herself to sink into it fully without thought. It was nothing like she had ever experienced, yet everything that she had ever dreamed of.

"Christ," Daryl mumbled against her lips as they parted for breath.

Carol sucked in a deep breath and then went back in for a second round, pushing herself back into him. He groaned deep in his throat and the kiss seemed to grow with a desperate intensity. She pulled away first and propped her head against his shoulder.

"What are we doing?" 

She could feel his heart thudding in his chest and she nuzzled into him. He pressed his lips softly to her neck and leaned into her.

"I don't know," he replied.

...

When Andrea heard the sound of Mac's truck pulling into the drive, she felt her body tingle with excitement. She had missed him so much...even his bed was starting to lose his scent and that made her a little sad. She was lying on his bed when she heard the front door open and shut, his heavy boots thudding against the linoleum as he made his way through the small trailer. He came straight back to the bedroom and sometimes she wondered if he couldn't smell her scent.

He paused in the doorway, leaning against the frame and staring at her with dark and hungry eyes. She stared back at him, biting on her lip in the way that she knew would drive him crazy. Never breaking eye contact, he unbuckled his belt and began to slowly slide it out of the loops. Andrea's eyes widened slightly and she could feel herself growing wet with want.

His belt removed, he folded it in his hands and popped it, pushing himself away from the doorway to make his way over to her. Andrea climbed to her knees in the bed and moved to the edge, placing her hands on his chest. She tilted her head back exposing her throat to him and he bent, inhaling her sweet scent. She brought her head back up and stared at him, lust flowing through her veins.

"Have you been a bad girl while I've been gone bitch?" He asked in a low voice.

Andrea nodded, pursing her lips into a pout that made his jaw twitch. Mac smirked and dropping the belt, he reached out with both hands and turned her, pressing her flat onto the bed. She turned her head to keep from being smothered by the mattress. She loved it when he took charge like this.

His hands smoothed over her ass and then in one smooth motion, he jerked her shorts down to her knees. His fingers stroked over the curve of her ass and she involuntarily moved her ass against his hand.

"A thong, hm? Who are you wearing a fucking thong for Andrea?"

Andrea moaned, "You...only you."

He smacked her ass with the leather of the belt, the sudden sting making her grit her teeth. Bending, he moved his lips over the red mark, soothing the irritated flesh.

"Damn right you are," he growled.

She cried out when he inserted two fingers into her pussy and began to stroke her. It had been too long since his touch and she was craving him fiercely. He swirled his fingers inside of her, crooking them so that she gasped. She arched her back and began to press herself back against him, fucking his fingers. Her body began to tremble as she felt herself on the peak of her orgasm. Just as she knew he would, he pulled out and she heard him suck her juices from her fingers. She wiggled impatiently.

"I need you," she whimpered.

She almost sighed in relief when she heard the sound of his zipper and then his throbbing cock nudged against her folds.

"How bad?" 

Andrea growled in frustration, "Damn you Mac! It's been a fucking week! Don't make me wait, ple-"

Mac slammed into her, cutting off her plea and she moaned into the mattress. His hands gripped her at her hips and the only sounds that could be heard were the slapping of flesh against flesh coupled with Mac's heavy breathing.

Andrea tangled her fingers into the sheets, gripping them with tight fists as she tried to gain leverage. Above her Mac grunted, one hand sliding around her waist to tease her with his skilled fingers. Playing along with the game, she clenched her pelvic muscles together, making her slick heat squeeze his cock in turn. He hissed and smacked her ass with one hand in return for the gesture. Andrea chuckled, loving how she could elicit these responses from him.

No one else but Mac had ever been able to match her in the bedroom. She liked it a little rougher than most and Mac was the only man that had ever been willing to give it to her without losing control. She had met her share of freaks over the years. Mac was the only one to ever hold a special place within her heart though.

"Gonna play dirty bitch? I'll pull out right fucking now," he threatened.

Andrea glared at him, knowing that he was unpredictable enough to do just that. She chose to ignore his statement.

"Pull my hair," she breathed out, her body heat rising to extreme temperatures.

He obliged, wrapping his hand into her hair and pulling it back just enough that she had to tilt her head back. He began to thrust harder, his breath coming faster and heavier as he did so. Andrea shuddered as the first shocks of her orgasm hit her. She convulsed around his cock, her mouth releasing a cry of pleasure as she came.

Mac tightened his grip in her hair and she could feel him pumping more raggedly. Sweat was rolling down the top of her tank top and in between her breasts. She tried to remain upright and push back against him, but she kept sliding on the sheets. She could feel his body tense a few minutes later and then he released a primal growl, his cock pumping her body full of his cum.

Releasing her, he pulled out and she rolled over as he collapsed onto the mattress next to her with his chest heaving. She scooted closer to him, but still kept her distance. Mac wasn't one to cuddle, especially after sex. Andrea kind of wished that he would...at least every once in a while just for her, but he never did.

He sat up on the edge of the bed and began to tuck his cock back into his jeans, zipping them up. He glanced over his shoulder at her, his eyes trailing her body and she knew he was thinking about going another round.

"Shower?" He asked.

The simple fact that he had asked her instead of telling her made her smile at him and she nodded eagerly. She was always up for shower time. As they entered the bathroom, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. Her Mac was finally back and she couldn't be happier about it.

He might not be perfect, but he was making tiny baby steps and to Andrea that meant more than he would ever know.

...


	22. Chapter 22

...

"You guys go on ahead to the diner. I'll be along soon as this customer gets here to pay me," Daryl said as he took another draw off his cigarette.

"You want me to stay and wait with you?" Carol asked.

Things between them seemed a little more intimate in the two days that she had been home, but they were still a little awkward with everything. She didn't really want to go ahead with Andrea and Mac to the diner without him, but she didn't want to be in his way either.

"Nah, they'll be along here in a few. Just gonna get things locked up and finish my cigarette while I wait. I'll be there soon," he promised.

Carol nodded, a little disappointed that he didn't want her to wait. It was closing time and Andrea had shown up at the shop to see if they all wanted to go to dinner at the diner. They hadn't eaten a big lunch and Carol was kind of hungry, but she also knew that Daryl had wanted to take her out to dinner. While Andrea and Mac headed for his truck, Carol walked over to where Daryl was leaning against his tailgate.

"This don't count as me taking you out to dinner you know," Daryl added. "I'm gonna be taking you to any diner either. I figure we can go this weekend when we aren't so dirty from being at the shop all day."

Carol nodded, giving him a smile, "That sounds good." She lingered for a moment wanting to kiss him, but not quite having the courage to do so. She didn't know how he felt about public displays of affection either.

When he made no move to indicate that it might be okay for her to kiss him she began to head for the truck, giving him a wave as she climbed inside. She was disappointed about not getting a kiss, but at the same time she didn't know if she had the right to be. She hadn't been in the dating game in so long that she wasn't sure if she even remembered how things went. Not to mention that she and Daryl hadn't actually established that they were dating either.

...

The diner was slightly busy when they arrived being that it was dinnertime and the three of them made their way inside and grabbed a booth towards the back. They put in their drink orders and settled in to wait on Daryl to arrive before they ordered their food.

"So how are you liking the shop Carol?" Andrea asked.

"I like it. It's really easy work."

"You've got guts putting up with those two all day," Andrea commented, glancing at Mac from the corner of her eye.

He scoffed, winking at Carol over the rim of his glass. She shook her head at him with a slightly amused smile. They had grown more comfortable with each other ever since their trip to Kentucky and Carol thought of him as the older brother that she had never had. He liked to tease her and give her hell, but she had begun to get used to it and now she really didn't even notice it much anymore.

"Let's go pick a song to play on the jukebox. Come on." Andrea stood up and gestured for Carol to follow her.

They headed over to the jukebox near the front of the diner and Andrea pressed the buttons to flip through the song selections.

"I haven't seen an old jukebox like this in a long time, especially not in this good of condition," Carol commented.

"Yeah, the owners got it from an antique store and fixed it up like new. I think it gives the place a certain charm."

Carol nodded, "I agree. I love antiques."

"Me too! Maybe we can head to this one place just outside of town that I heard of one day when we're both not busy working," Andrea suggested.

"That sounds good."

She would just have to make sure that it didn't land on one of the days that she would be doing her community service. She hadn't told Andrea any specifics from what had happened in Kentucky and she didn't know if Mac had either. She still didn't know when or what she would be doing, but Michonne was supposed to be getting in touch with her to tell her who to talk to sometime next week.

"Well, well, well...look at what the cat dragged in," a male voice spoke from just behind the two women.

Carol and Andrea both turned, Carol's expression one of confusion and Andrea's one of annoyance.

"What do you want Shane?" Andrea asked as she placed one hand on her hip.

Shane leaned one hand over on the jukebox, looming over Andrea with his large frame. He was a large man and obviously very built, with dark hair and a t-shirt that in her opinion was too tight for him. It made Carol uncomfortable the way he was staring at them both.

"Who's your friend?" He asked, gazing at Carol steadily.

Andrea sidestepped, cutting off his line of vision. "Nobody. Look, unless you got something to say then I suggest you just go on back to where you came from."

"You missing me yet baby?" Shane asked.

Carol could only assume that this Shane was an ex-lover of Andrea's with the familiar way he was talking to her. She wondered if the man knew that Andrea was with Mac now and that it was highly likely that Mac might be along at any moment to look for them. If Carol had learned anything about Mac from all of their time together, it was that the man cared about Andrea more than he let on and he was also fiercely protective.

"Hard to miss someone that won't go away Shane," Andrea hissed between clenched teeth.

Shame smirked, rubbing one large hand back and forth across his jaw.

"How the hell else am I supposed to get in touch with you? You changed your fucking number on me. What the hell was that all about?" His voice was low and somewhat threatening.

Andrea turned to her, ignoring Shane and she gestured towards the direction of their booth around the corner.

"Let's go. I can play the jukebox some other time," Andrea commented.

Carol turned to follow her when strong fingers wrapped around her arm and she immediately felt herself begin to panic.

"Maybe you and I can get acquainted some then, huh? What's your name baby?" Shane drawled.

Andrea turned around, realizing that Carol wasn't right behind her and she hissed when she saw that Shane had grabbed her. Launching herself at Shane, she began swinging her fist at his arm to break his hold. It only served to make his grip tighter though and Carol could do no more than stand there motionless. The grip was one that Ed had used on her many times and for several moments she was thrown back in time to when Ed was still alive.

"The fuck you think you're doing motherfucker? Get your goddamn hands off these women!" Mac's voice roared from somewhere behind her.

Suddenly the large hand was gone from her arm and she looked around to see that Mac had pushed Shane outside of the diner's door to the parking lot. Andrea ran out after them and after a second's hesitation, Carol stepped outside as well. She could feel the gaze of several customers on her and she was eager to get away from it.

As she walked around several vehicles she saw that Mac had Shane in a choke hold, his boot landing firmly down on top of Shane's sneaker making him howl. Carol reached over and touched Andrea's arm.

"Should we call someone?" She whispered.

"Won't do any good. Best to just let him work his anger out," Andrea replied.

"But won't someone else call the cops?"

Andrea shook her head. "Not unless weapons are drawn. If it's just a fist fight, most of the time the town will just ignore it unless it's a nuisance."

Carol was so caught up in the action that she didn't see Daryl swing his truck into the parking lot. A thick cloud of dust swirled around them as he threw the truck in park, the brakes smoking from his sudden stop. His eyes swept the parking lot and Carol met his gaze, noting the relief in his face when he spotted her with Andrea standing beside her. He walked around Mac and Shane, his eyes intent on the fight.

"What the hell is goin' on?" He shouted over the scuffle.

"That asshole grabbed Carol an-" Andrea tried to explain.

Daryl ignored her and immediately strode over to Mac and Shane, jumping onto Shane's back. To Shane's credit, he was lasting a lot longer than Carol would have thought considering he had two Dixon's on top of him. She had a feeling that neither Dixon had unleashed total fury on the man as of yet though. It seemed more like to her that they were toying with him. Mac was throwing out insults left and right, spurring Shane on.

Daryl jumped off of Shane's back and lashed out with one booted foot, knocking Shane off balance. His once white sleeveless tank was now stained with not only engine grease, but dirt and something that she hoped wasn't blood. Carol was having a hard time keeping track of everything that was happening. Mac's fist connected with Shane's gut and she heard the solid thud from across the lot. Both Daryl and Mac's shirts were beginning to stick to them, covered in the dust that they were kicking up and the sweat from their exertions. To her surprise, both of them had a smile on their face despite the fact that they were in the middle of a fight.

Just when she thought that things were almost over the roar of a motorcycle engine drowned out the noise of the fight. All of the men paused momentarily as the rider pulled into the parking lot and cut the engine.

Carol saw Daryl squint towards the motorcycle a second before she saw Shane's fist connect with Daryl's jaw. She squealed in horror, her grip on Andrea tightening.

"Is that who I think it is?" Andrea whispered from beside her.

Carol started to ask her who, but the mysterious rider stepped off of his bike and grinned at the men.

"Surprise motherfuckers!" The man roared with a laugh, striding over to observe the fight with an amused expression.

"Yep. That's who I thought it was." Andrea sighed, shaking her head.

"Well now, ain't this a nice fuckin' homecomin' party!" The man yelled.

"Kinda busy here Merle!" Daryl shouted.

"Yeah, why don't you get off your fuckin' pussy and join the party?" Mac cried out.

Merle. Carol remembered that name now. Daryl had told her his brother's name was Merle so the mysterious man must be Daryl's brother. She hadn't known that he was coming home from wherever he had been and she wondered if Daryl had known. She was staying in Merle's cabin and she could only wonder if that meant that she would have to move now. She couldn't very well continue to stay in another man's house when he probably didn't even know that she had been staying there to begin with. What would happen now?

As Carol watched Merle jump into the fight, three Dixon's now taunting Shane, she began to worry. Daryl's brother coming home would mean that he wanted his place back. That would leave her back at square one with no where to go again.

Clearing her throat Carol asked, "Is that Daryl's brother?"

Andrea nodded. "The one and only. Looks like the eldest Dixon has finally come home."

Carol swallowed, her suspicions confirmed. She would have to move, but where would she go?

...


	23. Chapter 23

...

The fight between the guys didn't last long before they backed off of Shane. He gave them all the finger before he stumbled away, looking a little worse for the wear. Carol and Andrea met the men by the vehicles as they walked back over to them.

Mac had a bit of blood pooled in the corner of his mouth, but otherwise he looked fine. Carol checked out Daryl from afar and found that other than a scratch on his cheek he too looked fine. She was a little hesitant about Merle and she took a moment to study the oldest Dixon. He was taller than the other two which made him appear bigger overall. He had the same muscle build as Mac and Daryl, but a lot less hair. The man was practically bald with only a tiny amount of fuzz on top. He was looking at Daryl and smirking, but he must have sensed her eyes on him because he suddenly looked in her direction, his smile widening.

"Not that I don't love a good brawl, but what the fuck was we beatin' on that sorry bastard for?" Merle drawled.

Mac spit a tiny bit of blood onto the ground behind him, "Fucker was touching Andrea and Daryl's woman."

Daryl hissed at Mac, shooting him a look that Carol couldn't interpret. She watched Merle's eyes drift between the two of them and then he smiled slow and wide. His gaze shifted to her and he tilted his head studying her.

"You fuckin' my baby brother?" He asked.

Carol's eyes widened at his blunt question, but before she could think up a reply, Daryl glared at his brother.

"Shut the hell up Merle! Carol isn't like that!" Daryl yelled.

He grabbed her arm, something he hadn't ever done before and pulled her away from the vehicles. As soon as they were out of earshot of the others, he seemed to realize that he had halfway dragged her and he released her arm immediately, a look of guilt flashing across his face.

"I didn't mean to grab you like that," he said quickly.

Carol shook her head. "It's okay. I knew you weren't mad at me."

He frowned, "No, it isn't okay." He sighed and rubbed his temples, "My brother's a dick."

Carol glanced over her shoulder at the rest of them. They were talking and laughing, but Merle kept shooting glances in their direction. She turned back to Daryl who had followed her gaze.

"I'm sure he's not that bad," she amended.

Daryl snorted. "Just ignore the stupid shit he says. Actually, just ignore _everything_ he says."

Carol smiled, amused at how distraught he was over his brother who she really didn't think could be that bad. If she could handle Mac, then she knew that she could handle Merle. Or at least she hoped she could.

"There's something I wanted to ask-"

Carol's question about the cabin was interrupted as Merle walked over to them.

"Sorry 'bout the interruption, but I'm assumin' all them girly clothes and other girly shit in my cabin is hers?" He looked at Daryl, gesturing to her.

Daryl cursed under his breath, his gaze swinging to hers. "Yeah, been letting her stay there while you been gone. If somebody had given me some kind of warning they were coming home then I could have prepared for shit."

Merle rocked back on his heels as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Thought I might surprise my lil' brother. Not every day I get the damn chance to do that ya know." He grinned wickedly, "So, she sleepin' on my couch or yours brother?"

Daryl growled low in his throat, "Can't you sleep on my couch for a little while?"

Merle scoffed, "Are you shittin' me? After I been sleepin' on them hard ass prison cots, ya really gonna ask me that? I don't mind sharin' though." He winked at her.

Daryl's brother had been in prison? Carol wondered what he had done to have to serve time. He didn't look like a hardened criminal.

"You're not sharing a damn bed either!" The tendons on Daryl's neck bulged slightly in his irritation. "I'll sleep on the damn couch and she can have my bed. No arguments," he said to her before he spun on his heel and walked away leaving her standing there with Merle.

Merle snickered, "I love gettin' that boy's panties in a bunch." He hummed low in his throat.

Carol stared up at him, "You did that on purpose?"

"Damn right I did. Me an' Daryl, that's how we communicate darlin'. Reckon' you'll find out soon enough considerin' he's got himself a thing for you."

Carol was surprised that Merle was making that declaration after only being home for a short time. It made her wonder if Daryl really did feel something for her. Even Mac had told her as much back in Kentucky so why couldn't she see what they saw?

"I'm not so sure about that," Carol replied.

Merle sucked his teeth, "Known that boy all my life. Trust me on that darlin'. A Dixon is a lot of things, but we ain't no liar. Welcome to the family sugar!" Merle put his arm around her shoulders as he smiled down at her.

...

"Are you sure this is okay? I don't mind sleeping on the couch," Carol offered.

Daryl grabbed the extra pillow from his bed and a blanket from the closet, toting them to the living room where he deposited them on the couch.

"Done told you no arguments," he replied as he began making himself a nest.

She didn't feel right taking his bed. It seemed oddly intimate and she could feel a flush creep across her body.

"I'm kicking you out of your own bed though. It isn't fair...Maybe I can ask Andrea if she needs a roommate."

Daryl snorted. "Andrea's pretty much moved in with Mac and his trailer is about the size of my living room and kitchen put together."

"But-"

"Look," Daryl walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, "It isn't a big deal for me to sleep on the couch. It's a nice damn couch, that's why I picked it."

Carol grudgingly smiled at him and opened her mouth, but he cut her off.

"If you're about to protest again, I'll quit charging you rent and you can save up all your money to find your own place," he said.

Carol closed her mouth. She had been about to protest again, but he had just nipped that in the bud. Instead of saying anything, she kept her mouth firmly shut. A look of surprise crossed his features and he crossed his arms over his chest, a stance that made her eyes instantly drift to the muscles that graced him.

He had on a white sleeveless tee and a pair of gray jogging pants that just seemed to hug his body in all of the right places. Guiltily, she allowed herself a moment to drink him in. She didn't realize that he had noticed however, until he cleared his throat and her eyes jumped back up to his. Carol felt her cheeks grow warm. Ed hadn't ever been built like that and she had to admit that her mind conjured up all kinds of naughty images when she looked at him.

"Well, I guess I'll go to bed so you can get some sleep," she said softly. "Goodnight, Daryl."

"That really what you want?" His low voice stopped her in her tracks and she spun back around to stare at him.

He dropped his arms and walked over to her, one of his hands resting lightly on her hip.

"Because I don't think that's what either of us wants." His voice had dropped to a husky tone, his thumb rubbing small circles over the flesh of her hip that was exposed where her shirt had ridden up.

The silence in the cabin was nearly deafening, the blood pounding out a rhythm in her ears. Slowly she raised her hand and placed it on his arm, dragging it lightly over the hair that grew there. She marveled at the way his skin seemed to jump beneath her touch, almost as if his own blood were pounding through his veins nearly as hard as hers.

Carol let her hand follow the trail of hair up his arm and to his biceps where there was no hair. She glided her fingers across his muscles, entranced by the size of them. He wasn't a bodybuilder, but he had great muscle tone. He shifted beneath her touch, the fingers of his other hand skimming her jaw. She closed her eyes as he explored and her lips parted when the pad of his thumb skirted her bottom lip.

She felt his breath on her seconds before he removed his thumb and his lips closed over hers. She shifted closer to him, her fingers tightening over his biceps. His tongue was slow and sensuous as he explored her mouth, his kiss slow and lazy this time. She touched his tongue with hers and he groaned deep in his throat, the sound vibrating through his chest to hers. Pulling back slightly, he lightened the kiss so that his lips just barely touched hers. When he slid his tongue across them Carol shivered, her body aching with want.

He left her lips and bent to kiss her neck softly. His tongue made smooth circles over her skin, leaving behind a wet trail that made her shiver. Feeling brave, she skirted her hands underneath his shirt and touched his bare chest. He paused with his breath hot on her neck, but then he kept going and his kisses grew deeper.

Somehow they ended up by the arm of the couch with Carol leaning against it, her legs trapped within Daryl's thighs. She leaned backwards as he began to trail his way down the column of her throat, his mouth dangerously close to the curve of her breasts.

"Daryl." She let his name fall from her lips.

He pulled back suddenly, his breathing heavy and he shook his head.

She blinked up at him, "What's wrong? Why did you stop?"

He backed away from her a couple of paces, "I can't take advantage of you like this. We haven't even had a date yet," he explained.

"But I'm okay with it, really. You can't just stop there," she protested.

Her body was on fire with need and she wanted more of his kisses. She wanted his hands all over her body and she gulped at the thought of everything those hands could do.

"No. I'm taking you to dinner tomorrow night...I don't wanna rush this," he said softly. "Always rushed shit before and it never worked out."

Her heart ached for him and for herself. She knew he was right though and she hadn't been thinking clearly when they had been kissing. If it _had_ actually led to sex, she had no way of knowing if she would have even been able to go through with it. She had to remember that she had just gotten out of an abusive relationship. Even if her feelings for Daryl were growing stronger by the day, they still didn't need to rush it. Daryl was right to stop it.

"You're right. We probably should slow down some," she agreed.

"It was my fault. Shouldn't have started shit like that."

"It's okay. We'll just take it slow...get to know each other now that I don't have other things looming over me."

He rubbed his eyes wearily, "So you still want to go to dinner with me?"

Carol smiled at him softly, "Of course."

...


	24. Chapter 24

...

"So tell me again why you're working on a Saturday when the shop is normally closed?" Andrea asked with a huff as Mac crawled underneath a vehicle.

"Because Daryl's fucking behind and he won't admit it, that's why." Mac's voice was slightly muffled and laced with irritation.

Andrea paused and studied him, the heavy beat of the rock music blasting through the garage. Mac had the bay doors pulled down so that no one new would come up thinking they were open. The bright fluorescent lights shone down from above, casting everything with artificial light so that Mac could see. He had one leg flat on the floor and the other was raised up, bent at the knee. That position combined with the black jeans and black work boots that he had put on was making her very aroused. It wasn't often that Mac donned something other than coveralls to wear around the shop and she was finding that she liked the change.

She was growing bored quickly, having ridden in with him early this morning on the off chance of spending some time with him. So far they hadn't really been spending any time together besides his occasional grunts and groans as he worked. She trailed her fingers over various containers on a shelf, vaguely glancing at the labels as she did so.

Mac sighed, "Don't you have to work today?"

"No. I told you I was off today, remember?"

Mac grunted. It didn't surprise Andrea that he didn't remember. There was a lot going on lately with Merle having come home from prison and all. She supposed that his mind was in other places. Most of the time she only got his undivided attention when they had sex and she craved that connection with him.

The sudden clatter of a wrench hitting the floor had her looking over in his direction to see him sliding from beneath the car. His grey shirt was covered in black smudges and only added to his appeal. She took in his facial expression and frowned. He looked irritated...mad even. He took a swig from a bottle of water sitting on top of a toolbox and eyed her, his eyes dark and intense. She swallowed as she read the intent in his eyes like her favorite book.

He set the bottle down with a thump and sauntered over to her, his eyes drinking her in. She never felt as attractive as she did when Mac stared at her with that predatory look in his eyes as if he couldn't get enough of her.

He walked all of the way up to her, his body forcing hers back several steps until her back came into contact with the cold hard wall. His breathing was light and his jaw set firmly, telling her that he was worked up over something. She didn't know what...he had been fine that morning before they had left for the shop. She didn't think she had done anything to piss him off since then.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

His eye twitched and he reached down, grabbing both of her wrists in his hands and lifting them up, pinning them to the wall and holding them in place with one of his large hands. He took a step closer and his body brushed hers, his arousal evident to her now. She inhaled a shuddering breath.

"The other day at the diner when that motherfucker Shane put his hands on you...I wanted to _kill_ him," Mac confessed.

Andrea's lips parted, her mouth forming a perfect circle. "Oh."

He pushed his arousal against her, his eyes glittering and dangerous. "Yeah... _oh_ ," he mimicked.

His fingers were on the button of her shorts before she could so much as blink and he yanked them down her legs, one black boot planting itself between her feet, spreading her legs farther apart. Andrea tugged on her hands knowing that his grip would be tight, but wanting to touch him regardless.

"Were you jealous?" She panted as he nuzzled his face into her neck, his tongue skimming just beneath her ear.

Mac snorted, his breath fanning her slightly sweaty neck. "He needed to be taught a lesson, shown that you weren't to be fucked with. Just like you need to be taught a lesson now," he stated.

Andrea shivered at the promise in his words and he pulled back from her neck, nostrils flared.

"A lesson for what?" She asked.

"For coming to fucking work with me and distracting me with your bitch scent and tight ass shorts." His voice lowered so that it was deadly soft, "And don't even get me fucking started on this thong you have on." His fingers skimmed over the lacy material, sliding across her slit as he did so.

She whimpered, her eyes meeting his and she saw the same raw need reflected in them. Growling he took a step back, glancing around the shop. He paused as his gaze settled on something and he crossed the shop swiftly, his boots echoing across the floor. Andrea didn't even realize the radio had gone silent. It had either given out or Mac had switched it off when she hadn't been looking.

She was brought back to alertness when a crash resounded across the room and she watched with wide eyes as Mac cleared a whole shelf of its contents, sweeping them to the floor. He turned back to her and crooked his finger, gesturing for her to come to him. She went to him willingly and without a word he placed his hands on her hips and lifted her to the shelf putting him at face level with her crotch.

Without skipping a beat, he pushed the material of her thong aside and dove into her warmth greedily. His tongue slid inside of her, teasing at first as he licked all around the place that she really wanted to feel him. He was deliberately holding back and she wanted to hiss at him in frustration, but she knew better. Calling him on it would only prolong it so she kept it to herself instead.

His hands gripped her inner thighs and he spread them farther apart, opening herself up to him further. Andrea sighed with pleasure as he sucked on her skin, his tongue gliding back and forth over her sensitive flesh. She leaned her head back against the wall, one of her hands reaching out to grab onto his hair tightly.

"Mmm...you like that don't you?" Mac murmured, his eyes flicking up to hers as she stared down at him, watching him ravish her.

"Very much," she purred.

He smiled wickedly. "And who makes you fucking feel this damn good?"

His tongue strayed to her clit and he flicked it with his tongue before sucking the tiny nub into his mouth. Andrea cried out, her mind temporarily going blank of all thought except how good it felt.

He broke away from his movements and eyed her. "Asked you a goddamn question."

Andrea blinked, her teeth grinding together in frustration. "You," she whimpered. "You make me feel this good Mac...Fuck me," she pleaded.

He was already two steps ahead of her. She watched as he loosened his belt and shoved his pants and boxers down his hips, his cock springing free. She licked her lips as he lifted her and brought her down onto his length. She moaned as he slid himself inside of her to the hilt. Once he was seated within her firmly, he leaned forward and nipped at her neck, his bite stinging slightly before he soothed it with his tongue.

Andrea wrapped her legs around his waist and he turned to lean back against the shelf, his hands cupping her ass. He lifted her, letting her fall back down onto his length firmly and she cried out. She braced her hands on his shoulders for leverage and began to lift herself. He groaned, sweat popping out across his forehead.

His eyes scanned the room around them wildly as she latched onto his earlobe, biting on the tender flesh so hard that he growled at her. They began to move backwards and suddenly there was another crash and Andrea glanced down to see several cans of spray paint and tools scatter to the floor.

"Daryl's going to have your ass," Andrea warned.

Mac scowled, "Do I look like I fucking care? I'll fucking fix it later, now ride me bitch!"

Andrea raked her nails across his back. "Don't call me a bitch!" She hissed.

"Those fucking high school days spent cheerleading coming in handy now, huh?"

Andrea leaned back, bracing herself on her palms as she lifted into him. He was panting now, his jaw tight. He knew that she hated when he called her a cheerleader. She had been on the team in high school and hated it, the girls being too snobby and rich for her taste. She had learned how to be flexible though, for all the good it had done her as a cheerleader.

"Fuck you," she panted as her orgasm hit her full force, making her body clench around him.

Mac hummed in the back of his throat. "Oh fuck baby, that's right," he panted.

Andrea grabbed his free hand and placed it onto her chest where he promptly slid it up to her throat, his fingers gripping her firmly, but not too tight. She looked at him through halfway closed lids, biting down on her lip the way that he liked. His eyes focused on hers intently, his body beginning to tense as his orgasm approached. Andrea clenched her thighs together and he released a snarl, his thrusts becoming frantic. He began to spasm, his hands gripping her hips tighter as he pumped himself inside of her.

"I love you," Andrea whispered as he collapsed, bent over halfway on top of her.

She felt his body instantly tense and then he pulled out of her, leaving her sprawled against the shop table. Andrea leaned up on her elbows, watching him. Mac pushed his cock back inside of his pants and zipped them, his eyes avoiding hers. Andrea swallowed, wondering how badly she had just messed up things for them.

She knew Mac didn't do feelings. He wasn't the type to cuddle and he didn't believe in love. It had been a heat of the moment kind of thing as she had realized that she really did love him. He was the only one for her and if he ever left her then she would be alone because there would never be another Mac for her.

Slowly she got up and began to dress then she walked slowly over to him, his back to her. She touched him on the shoulder softly.

"Mac?"

He flinched and jerked his shoulder from underneath her fingers. "Leave me the fuck alone Andrea." His voice held a warning tone that she couldn't quite interpret.

She winced, noting that he said her name. Nodding, she let her hand fall back to her side. She wasn't really the crying type, but at that moment she felt like bawling. Wrapping her arms around herself she headed outside and flipped open her cell phone to call someone to come pick her up. It was clear that she wasn't welcome at the shop right now.

It took her a moment to figure out who to call and her finger hovered over the button before she pressed send, waiting on the call to connect.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, it's me. I know it's kind of early, but I'm at the shop and I need a ride. Can you come and get me?" Andrea asked.

"The fuck ya doin' there? By yourself?"

"No...Mac's here. I just...can you just please come and get me or do I need to call someone else?"

"Fuck. Nah, gimme a damn minute an' I'll be there. Fuckin' Mac," he grumbled before the line went silent.

Andrea sighed as she meandered through the various cars, making her way out towards the road. She heard the sounds of the rock music blaring loudly even from the distance and she knew that he was mad. Perching onto the tailgate of a truck that had been sitting there for ages, Andrea settled down to wait on her ride hoping that Mac would be okay once he had time to cool off.

...


	25. Chapter 25

...

"So...you and Daryl are going to dinner tonight, huh?"

Carol nodded. "We are. I'm kind of nervous about it. I don't have anything nice to wear really," she admitted.

Andrea scoffed, "Please! I'm the queen of pulling together a slamming outfit in a pinch. Where's your stuff?"

Carol pointed to the closet in Daryl's bedroom where he had said she could put her clothes. Andrea crossed over to it and rummaged around for a few minutes, making random noises and muttering to herself. Grabbing a couple of articles of clothing, she turned back to Carol.

"Put these on and we'll go from there," she ordered.

Carol eyeballed her clothing with a doubtful expression. They were still the same old boring clothes she wore all the time and she didn't know what Andrea was thinking. It was weird how clothes had never been something that Carol had thought of before until now. She supposed it was because she had never had the desire to look good for Ed. After the abuse had started, she had stopped trying, wanting to remain invisible instead.

Carol shed herself of her clothing and began putting on the clothes that Andrea had laid out for her, trying not to be self conscious while she did so. Andrea was staring at her, but not in a critical way. She almost felt like some kind of work of art that Andrea was fixing to try and sculpt into something fantastic. She had to admit though, it felt good to spend one on one time with someone of the same sex. She liked Andrea very much and she was hoping to get to know her better over time. Assuming she continued to stay here...

With the clothes put on, Carol stood there with her arms dangling by her sides. Andrea walked around her slowly while scrunching up her face. Carol followed her with her eyes, slightly amused by the concentration upon the other woman's face.

"You're really into this aren't you?" Carol asked her.

Andrea blinked up at her and then smiled softly, "I am. I've always loved fashion and makeup."

"Then why aren't you doing that instead of where you are?"

Andrea shrugged, a flicker of sadness creeping across her face. "Just never had the funds I guess...or the motivation."

Andrea gripped Carol's shirt in her hands and tied it into a knot, exposing her midriff. Carol quickly tugged on the shirt, trying to cover herself. She had never worn anything revealing, ever.

Andrea slapped her hands away. "Stop it! You'll mess it up."

"Andrea, I don't think-"

"You look fine," Andrea interjected, "Just trust me, okay?"

Andrea stared at her pointedly and finally Carol sighed and reluctantly nodded her head. Andrea crossed over to Daryl's dresser next and Carol had to bite her lip to keep from asking her what she was doing. Rummaging around, she finally pulled out a plaid button-up shirt. She handed it to Carol.

"Put this on," she ordered and Carol raised a brow. "Don't worry. I'm not going to make you look like a hooker if that's what you're thinking."

Carol frowned. "I wasn't thinking that. I was just wondering how you come up with these ideas. Why would you think that I was thinking that?"

Andrea shook her head. "Doesn't matter," she mumbled.

Carol shrugged on the shirt, intending to question Andrea further about the matter, but then she saw her reflection in the bedroom mirror and she stopped. Walking slowly up to the mirror she took in her reflection. The jeans she had on hugged her hips a little with the weight that she had recently put on and she marveled at the way that they fit her so snugly now. Turning she observed that she actually did have somewhat of an ass. Her outfit didn't look bad either. Granted, she was wearing Daryl's shirt, which kind of smelled like him, but it actually looked good on her. His scent clinging to her was just an added bonus.

"Andrea?"

"Yes?" Andrea popped up behind her in the mirror and smiled.

"Thank you," Carol said sincerely.

Andrea winked. "You're very wel-"

Andrea stopped mid sentence and they both listened as they heard the distinct sound of shouting outside. Giving each other looks of confusion, they both headed for the door to see what was happening now.

...

Mac pulled up outside of Daryl and Merle's cabins, slamming on the brakes so hard they whined and kicked up a cloud of dust as he shoved the truck into park. He stepped out of his truck not even bothering to slam the door closed and stalked straight for Merle's cabin.

Merle stepped outside just as Mac reached the front door, oblivious as to what was currently taking place. Mac wasted no time in slamming his fist into Merle's jaw, catching him off guard.

"Motherfucker!" Mac yelled.

"Goddammit!" Merle hissed as he clamped a hand over his jaw, his blue eyes flashing darkly as he glared at Mac. "What the fuck?"

Mac paced back and forth in front of Merle like a caged tiger, raging silently. He had seen Andrea leave with Merle which hadn't bothered him initially. Then he remembered how Andrea used to have a thing for Merle before she and Mac had hooked up. Sparks had immediately shot through his brain as he envisioned the two of them together, Merle comforting Andrea because she was upset over Mac.

A part of his mind told him the whole idea was ridiculous, that there was absolutely nothing going on between the two of them. He came anyway, his anger over Andrea telling him she loved him taking precedence. He needed an outlet, somewhere to release his frustrations and right now Merle was convenient. It no longer mattered whether his accusations were valid because he was too pumped up to care.

"Fuckin' Andrea, that's what!" Mac yelled.

Merle's forehead creased in confusion, his eyes watching Mac warily.

"What the fool kinda shit you talkin' over there boy? I'm tryin' to see how I fit into this picture." Merle cocked his head to the side, his eyes never once leaving Mac and spit.

"You came and picked her ass up, that's what! Did you hold her close and tell her it was going to be alright? Did you?" Mac raged. "I guess I'm the asshole once again, huh?"

Without warning Mac swung again, but this time Merle was ready for it and he ducked the swing, bringing his fist up and into Mac's gut. Mac bent over, sure that he was going to feel that one really good later. Strangely it felt good though and he immediately went back in for more.

It was on now.

...

Daryl heard the shouts and began striding towards the door. Andrea and Carol immediately left from the bedroom behind him right on his heels.

"What's going on out there?" Andrea asked.

"Damned if I know, but I'm about to find out," he muttered as he threw open the cabin door and walked out.

He got to the end of the steps and paused, Andrea and Carol both nearly slamming into him from behind in their haste. They all three looked up in shock as Mac and Merle circled each other, occasionally throwing punches. Andrea and Carol both gasped, but it was Andrea that started to head over there, a look of determination and horror upon her face.

Daryl reacted quickly and grabbed her around the waist to stop her, giving her a serious shake of his head.

"Whatever it is they got going on, they need to work it out. Best to just leave them alone," he said seriously.

Daryl finally released her after seeing that she wasn't going to attempt another dive into the fray and he leaned back against a tree, observing the two Dixon's going at it. He didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't about to jump into the middle of it unless things appeared to be getting out of hand.

"You ain't mad at me." Merle spat harshly. "Ya mad at yourself for not tellin' her ya love her back ya jackass!"

Mac wiped a hand across his mouth and spit a small mouthful of blood onto the ground. "Shut your fucking mouth! You don't know shit!"

Merle smirked, "Oh yeah? I know ya too chicken shit to tell her how ya feel."

Mac growled and faked a punch that Merle made the mistake of falling for, leaving Mac open to kick the back of Merle's leg. The action caused him to fall to the ground, but he rolled quickly and jumped back to his feet.

Daryl watched them intently. He found it rather interesting actually. The two of them pitted against one another made for good entertainment. They both knew the same tricks, had learned the same moves from their grandfather.

Daryl dragged a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. "Wish I had some damn popcorn or something," he commented.

He felt someone touch his arm and he glanced over to see Carol looking up at him.

"Are you really just going to let them kill each other?" 

Daryl started to speak, but then his words died within his throat as he took in her outfit. She was showing a sliver of bare stomach and his eyes zeroed in on it. He licked his dry lips and cleared his throat as he continued his perusal. She had on jeans which wasn't anything new, but they seemed to fit her so well that he found himself discovering curves he hadn't even known she had.

"Daryl?" She prodded, snapping him back to attention.

He moved his lips and his voice came out hoarsely at first so he cleared his throat and tried again. "They're not gonna kill each other. I'll jump in if they get out of hand," he tried to reassure her.

All he could think about was her damn outfit and how badly he suddenly wanted to push her up against the tree he was leaning against and rip it off of her. It took every ounce of strength he had to turn his attention back to the fight that was slowly starting to die down. At the moment the two of them were throwing slurs back and forth more than they were throwing punches which Daryl took as a good sign.

"Ya can keep on denyin' it all ya want Mac, but ya know I'm fuckin' right. If I wasn't right then ya ass wouldn't be so upset," Merle growled.

"Fuck you! I don't have to admit to nothing," Mac retorted, but his words had lost all of their anger and he simply looked confused at this point.

Merle stood up straight from where he was leaning onto his knees and walked over to Mac. "I ain't fuckin' her brother," he said seriously.

Mac stared back at him, his grey shirt stained with blood and dirt. He stared back at Merle, each of them eyeing the other.

"I know," Mac finally said gruffly. "Fuck! I fucking know you're not, but I can't..." His voice trailed off.

Daryl watched as something passed between the two men and Merle nodded solemnly at Mac. Merle turned to nod at Andrea and stepped back from Mac, casting a glance at Daryl before heading back into his cabin.

Daryl watched as Andrea stood there, her expression one of indecision. He pushed off from the tree and nudged her in the shoulder while jerking his head at Mac.

"Go to him. Take his ass home and do whatever it is you do to bring him back," Daryl urged.

Andrea glanced at him and bit her lip, "But I can't-"

Daryl held up a hand. "Nah, don't need to know what the hell you're gonna do. Just do it." He gave her a gentle shove in Mac's direction.

Mac was standing still in the yard gazing off into the woods. His chest was heaving with exertion and his face was unreadable. Andrea grabbed his hand and whispered something into his ear, tugging him gently across the yard to his truck. He followed and she climbed into the driver's seat before firing up the truck.

Daryl smelled her scent before he saw her appear next to him. She waved to Andrea as the truck backed out of the driveway. Daryl squinted at the plaid shirt that she had on, trying to figure out why it looked familiar to him.

"I'm ready to um... go if you are," Carol said softly, her blue eyes gazing up into his.

He nodded, "Just give me five minutes and I'll be ready."

He headed up the steps and then stopped at the door as he finally figured out why the shirt looked so familiar. "Is that my shirt?"

...

"I thought a lot about where I was going to take you tonight and I decided that I didn't want to take you anywhere stuffy and shit so this is what I came up with," Daryl said as he held the door open for Carol to walk inside.

The restaurant that Daryl had chosen was actually a cross between a restaurant and a bar combined with dancing. It wasn't your typical bar though; Carol could tell that as soon as she walked into the door. It was classier, but still comfortable enough that it didn't require fancy clothing. To say that she was excited about the whole date would be an understatement. She was so excited that her palms kept sweating causing her to keep wiping them on her jeans.

They were shown to a booth near the dance floor and Daryl gestured for her to sit first. The booths were curved and had one long seat that spanned the table on one side instead of two sets of seats facing each other. They were also more private and cozy Carol figured out as she slid towards the middle. Daryl climbed in on the other side and slid close to her with his thigh brushing against hers underneath the table.

Carol breathed in the intoxicating scent of his cologne. He looked really nice dressed in an all black shirt with a pair of jeans, his hair curling around his neck in little wisps. She had seen several women glancing in his direction as they had passed through the restaurant, but Daryl hadn't paid anyone else any attention. It made her feel good.

The waitress took their drink order and left them alone at the table. Carol flipped open her menu and almost did a double take at the prices listed.

"These prices are really high. Are you sure this is okay?" Carol leaned close to him to ask.

A hint of a smile played across his lips as he regarded her. "Order whatever you want. Pretend the prices aren't there," he offered.

Carol slid her eyes back to the menu to scan the items listed. She felt his hand brush hers under the table and he traced his finger over her palm before intertwining their fingers together. She smiled softly to herself, pleased that he had taken her hand.

"In case I didn't tell you, you look really nice." His voice, low and husky in her ear startled her and she jumped.

He chuckled at her jumpiness, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Thanks. You look really...sexy," she said bravely.

He arched a brow at her and she smiled inwardly at throwing him off track. She felt proud of herself that she could still do this. She could still flirt and have a good time.

The air between them became heated as she stared at him, glad for all of the privacy at the tables. The waitress reappeared with their drinks, breaking the moment between them and took their order down before leaving them alone once again.

Carol could feel her palm growing sweaty in Daryl's hand and she resisted the urge to pull it free and wipe it off. She hated the thought that he might be able to feel her sweat. Glancing in his direction, she saw that he was studying her and she blushed, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear awkwardly.

He dragged his eyes up to hers, his own sparking with an intense heat. "Fuck it," he muttered.

He leaned forward quickly and captured her lips, his free hand wrapping around the back of her neck and pulling her closer to him. She braced one hand against his shirt and closed her eyes as he slid his tongue into her mouth. She bravely kissed him back as he pulled his hand free from hers and slipped it around her waist. She gasped into his mouth when his fingers brushed the curve of her ass. His eyes blazed into hers when he pulled away. He glanced over to the dance floor where several couples were dancing to some slow song that she didn't recognize.

"Dance with me?" He whispered.

Carol bit her lip and surveyed the dance floor hesitantly. It had been so long since she had danced that she wasn't even sure that she remembered how. Then she thought about Daryl's body brushing against hers as they danced and how it would feel to have his arms wrapped tightly around her.

She grinned at him then, "Yes."

...


	26. Chapter 26

...

Daryl placed one hand upon her hip and with the other he grabbed her hand, rocking them in a slow circle as some random slow song played. Carol wound her arms around his neck and rested her head onto the curve of his shoulder. She inhaled his musky scent deep into her lungs and sighed contentedly. This was how it should have been for her all along. This was the kind of thing she had yearned for all of her life, the kind of thing she had wanted from Ed, but had never gotten.

When Daryl pulled back from her slightly and let go of her hip, she spun around in a slow circle and smiled up at him.

"You continue to surprise me," she murmured. "I didn't know you could dance."

"Neither did I," he grinned, "Pretty good for winging it, huh?"

Carol chuckled, the sound dying in her throat as he tightened his grip on her, pulling her flush against him. She sucked in a breath, her hands coming to rest on his arms as they stared at each other. Carol wasn't sure if it was the music making her feel this way or what, but an overwhelming surge of emotion flowed through her. It rose into her throat until she had difficulty swallowing. His blue eyes pierced hers and his hand rose upwards on her back as he indicated his intent. She leaned slowly backwards, surprisingly farther than she had expected as he dipped her. The blood rushed to her head, desire pumping through her veins as his strong hands pulled her back up to him. His eyes were darker now and his gaze was hot on hers.

She lay her head back onto his shoulder, settling back into a somewhat steady rhythm. Occasionally she could feel his fingers hover close to her ass before drifting back to her hip and it sent delicious little shivers through her. He bent his head close to hers, his warm breath blowing gently onto her neck. She tightened her grip on him and gasped as his tongue gently traced the shell of her ear. She managed to keep her head still, but inside she was shaking as the sexual tension threatened to drown them both.

As the song ended she leaned her head back so that their eyes met. She grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him down to her, their lips meeting in a soft, but heated kiss. Reluctantly parting, they made their way back to the table where their food was waiting on them.

"Will you go somewhere with me when we leave here or are you tired?" He asked while they ate.

Carol chewed her food and regarded him wondering what he had in mind. She was anything but tired. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had had so much fun. It was very relaxing to say the least.

"Where?" 

He shook his head, "You'll see."

...

Daryl drove them down the rough road, hoping that the place wasn't too grown up with weeds and brush to walk around. It had been quite a while since either he or Merle had been out here and he knew that he needed to pick a day to come and do some cleaning around the place. Glancing at Carol he saw that she was looking around with an expression of curiosity and interest.

He had been having such a good time with her tonight that he really didn't want it to ever end. She was so easy to talk to, so carefree that he found himself wanting to go that extra mile just to see her smile. He didn't have to worry about any drama as far as she was concerned. It seemed to take so little to impress her as well. It angered him that someone as sweet as she was had been so mistreated. He hoped that tonight could make up for some of that or at least make her forget for a bit.

He parked the truck where the road ran out and cut the engine, leaving the headlights on for light. Exiting the truck he reached out a hand and she grinned at him, grabbing it while scooting over to get out on his side.

"What is this place?" She asked.

"It was my grandfather's land," he said softly as he gazed around at the land that was now a torrent of weeds, shrubs, and trees.

"Your grandfather must have been a wealthy man," Carol mused as she stared around into the darkness.

"Nah, he didn't ever have that much money."

"I'm not talking about money Daryl. You can be rich without having lots of money. Like love," she whispered as her fingers drifted across his cheek.

She twirled away from him before he could read too much into that and he leaned against the truck to just watch her. She spread her arms wide and tilted her head back, staring straight up into the sky. Slowly she began to twirl and Daryl paused in his search for a smoke to watch, his gaze transfixed on her. The light from the headlights illuminated her small frame as she spun giving her an angelic quality. He could hear her giggle and he shook his head with an amused expression.

"You're gonna make yourself drunk!" He yelled out to her.

She laughed, the sound striking a chord deep inside of him. "But oh what a way to go!" 

He pushed himself away from the truck, making his way over to her lazily. He stopped a few feet from her, so captivated by her beauty that it gave him a moment of pause. A devilish thought crossed his mind and he had to fight to keep the amusement from his voice.

"You know the snakes are real bad here this time of year," he commented.

She gasped, stumbling backwards a step, her body off kilter from her spinning as she quickly made her way back over to him. She stumbled the last few steps and he had to step to the side to catch her as she almost went down into the grass face first. He chuckled at her slightly panicked expression and she narrowed her eyes.

"Were you joking about the snakes?" She asked.

Daryl shook his head, "No. There's no telling what's out here. Haven't been keeping the place up like I should."

She squealed and without thinking he snaked an arm behind her thighs and lifted her into his arms where he carried her back to the truck. He placed her on the tailgate, her legs dangling between his thighs.

"I'm _not_ a fan of snakes," she admitted.

He planted his hands flat on the truck on either side of her and leaned forward, "So I guess you don't really like Mac all that much then, hm?"

She blinked and then laughed, pushing against his chest playfully. Instead of pulling her hand away though she let it linger, sliding it across the fabric of his shirt lightly. He groaned softly, his body releasing a soft shiver as her touch sent sparks all through him. The air between them changed, the tension blanketing between them heavily once again.

"Always back to this, aren't we?" She whispered.

Daryl dipped his head, his hair tickling her chin he was so close. He sucked in a breath, "Looks like it." He swallowed.

"Maybe..." Carol toyed with the neck of his shirt, her finger sliding just underneath to his bare chest, "Maybe we can just kiss for a bit? See if we can get it out of our system," she suggested softly.

Daryl wanted to laugh, the thought of simply kissing Carol and being rid of his sexual frustration amusing. Even if he were to have his way with her right now on the back of his truck, even four or five times, he knew that he still wouldn't have his fill of her. Just her scent was becoming maddening to him. The thought of lying there with her on the back of his pickup and kissing her until they were both breathless was tempting, but it was also a bad idea. If they were going to take it slow then that wouldn't help matters. It was very likely that things would get out of hand very quickly and as much as Daryl wanted it, he also wanted to get to know her for more than her body. There was still so much that they didn't know about each other.

It took every ounce of willpower that he possessed to turn her down.

"Maybe that isn't such a good idea," he replied.

An expression of hurt crossed her face and she moved to scoot down from the truck, but he pinned her in place with his arms.

"There's nothing more I want than to throw you down onto the back of this truck and run my hands and mouth over every inch of your body," He paused as he fought down a surge of desire at the mental images that conjured, "But we start that here and we aren't liable to stop...at least I know _I_ ain't gonna want to stop."

Carol thought about that for a few moments and then she reached for his hand and tugged him down next to her on the bed of the truck. They lay beside one another, her hand finding his in the dark as they stared up at the stars in the night sky.

"So...tell me something about you that I don't know Daryl Dixon," she whispered.

He glanced at her and then back up at the sky. "Not too much to know," he said vaguely.

She squeezed his hand. "Come on. You know my dark secrets...what about you? Anything good?" 

He blew out a breath. He didn't like to dredge up certain things in his past. Some things were better off left buried. It wasn't that he didn't trust her or that he thought she might judge him, but the night was going so great as it was...He didn't want to risk ruining that good vibe.

"I can't cook shit unless it's on a grill," he commented.

She giggled and he turned his head, a smile tugging at his lips.

"I have a weakness for ice cream," she admitted.

"Ice cream? Why didn't you say so? We could have went for ice cream after dinner."

She rolled, snuggling into his side and yawning. "God, no! I'm so full that even the thought of ice cream doesn't turn me on."

"What kinds of things do turn you on?" He asked softly, his lips brushing her temple.

She was quiet for several minutes before speaking. "Humor...flowers...little things like opening doors and holding hands." She squeezed his hand for emphasis, "Sweet mechanics with big hearts," she whispered.

His heart was beating erratically in his chest and he curled his arm around her shoulders, tucking her in closely to his side. All around them crickets chirped softly, the occasional owl casting its own brand of music into the night.

Daryl tucked his free arm behind his head and tilted his chin to glance at her, surprised to find her eyes closed, her breathing deep and even. He studied her in her sleep, all of the worry and stress completely gone from her face, an expression of peace left behind. She seemed so content and relaxed that he hated to wake her so he simply held her, the lullaby of the forest tugging at his eyelids. He finally succumbed to sleep, the darkness their blanket, the animals their music as they drifted into a dreamless sleep, wrapped into each others arms.

...


	27. Chapter 27

...

"Thanks for coming to get me Merle."

Merle brushed off the comment with a shrug, "You mind tellin' me what in the hell is goin' on?"

Andrea sighed as she settled into the passenger seat of Merle's truck, gazing out of the window at the shop as they passed by heading back the way Merle had come.

"I told Mac that I love him," she said softly.

Merle let out a low whistle, sucking on his teeth as he glanced at her.

"Mighty big leap ya took there darlin'. Gather he ain't take it well?"

Andrea shook her head no. "That's putting it mildly," she replied.

She glanced over at the one Dixon that she had always been the closest to besides Mac. She and Merle had an easygoing kind of friendship, the kind where they didn't have to mince words or fake emotions. Once upon a time, Andrea had had something of a crush on Merle and they had flirted with the idea of dating. That was before she had gotten to know Mac and she had fallen hard for him. She and Merle were better suited as friends not lovers, even though they hadn't ever shared more than a kiss in their lifetime.

She had grown to appreciate Merle's presence in her life and even though he could be a genuine asshole, there was also no better man to have at your back when you needed him. Most people didn't know Merle like she knew him. Merle had many sides. There was the sarcastic asshole that most people saw, but then there was also the compassionate man who would give you the shirt off his back if needed.

"Mac's always been like that darlin'. He ain't never had too much good shit in his life. He's like a fuckin' caged tiger...gotta approach him at an angle," Merle explained.

"I know...I just can't help how I feel. I thought he should know that's all."

...

_**Present...** _

Andrea followed Mac into his trailer. He hadn't talked to her on the way over, choosing instead to stare silently out of the window. She had no idea what he was thinking and she wished that she could read his mind for some indication as to what he wanted, what he felt.

He peeled off his shirt as he continued through the living room and kitchen into the bedroom. Andrea trailed silently behind him, holding back a gasp at the bruises on his chest, no doubt from his fight with Merle. She took a step forward, her fingers skirting over his shoulder lightly. The muscles in his back rippled, the only indication she had that he was affected at all by her touch.

She had no idea what kind of childhood Mac had had growing up. Merle and Daryl had told her what they knew, but they could only tell her how he was after he had moved here when he was thirteen. Before then, Merle told her they didn't know much because Mac had lived in Utah with his Dad. That was the extent of what Andrea knew of his childhood and he hadn't ever volunteered anymore information about it. He had been troubled, withdrawn even... Merle and Daryl having had to work hard to pull him out of his shell.

He turned to her, lifting his face so that his intense blue eyes bore into hers. She dropped her hand back by her side, but his fingers closed over her wrist, his thumb stroking her pulse.

"Why would you fucking tell me that Andrea?" He asked softly.

She sucked in a breath at the fact that he was still calling her Andrea. "I...Let's just pretend I didn't say it. Would that make it better?"

His eyes flashed, "So you don't love me then?"

Andrea closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath for strength. When his thumb trailed over her nipple through her t-shirt she jumped and her eyes flew open.

"You're aroused," he stated simply. "Do you like pissing me off? Pushing me to my limits?"

"No," she replied softly, truthfully.

"You know I can't ever be what you fucking want in life. I'm never going to be the kind of man that you fucking need."

"You're _already_ what I need. Why can't you understand that! I don't want anyone else but you Mac! Don't you see that?"

He growled, but he didn't say anything. Andrea pulled her hand from his grip, hot tears stinging her eyelids.

"Do you want me to leave you? What do you want me to do, Mac? Just tell me and I'll do it," she begged.

"You're mine! No other man is putting his goddamned hands on you! I forbid it!" 

Andrea shook her head and chuckled sourly. "Then tell me how you feel! If you love me, then I need to hear it!"

He licked his lips, a look of indecision crossing his face before he backed her against the wall so fast that the action barely had time to register.

"You wanna know how I fucking feel about you?" He asked softly. Andrea nodded. "I'll fucking show you how I feel."

He wedged one knee between her legs and he began to suck on her neck. Andrea inhaled deeply, her body automatically responding to his touch. She shook her head and pressed both palms flat against his chest and pushed. Of course he didn't move, the man was more stable than a pile of brick when he wanted to be.

"Stop!" She shouted.

Mac immediately lifted his head, arching a brow. Andrea couldn't really blame him for being confused. She hadn't ever turned him down for sex before, _ever_. He instantly stepped away from her, his broad chest heaving. Without a word, he spun on his heel and headed into the bathroom. She swallowed over the lump in her throat and started packing a small bag as she heard the shower turn on. Her heart was pounding so hard that she thought it might burst out of her chest.

Passing by the open bathroom door, she paused and looked up just as Mac stepped into the shower, his naked ass flashing her before he tugged the curtain closed, shutting her out.

Forcing her feet to move, she headed into the kitchen and grabbed up a scrap of paper and a pen. She started to leave him a note, but then she didn't know what to write. That was perhaps the saddest part of all. She had no idea what to even say to him other than to tell him that she was leaving him, but he would find that out as soon as he stepped out of the shower. Instead, she opted for leaving without a note and set his spare key on top of the paper instead. With that done, she headed outside and got into her car, driving to the only place she knew to go this late at night.

...

Merle scratched at his balls as he rested lazily on the couch listening to the sounds of the night outside. It was quiet and he had missed that quiet with a burning passion. Most people would think that prison was quiet, but it was anything but. There were constantly sounds of other inmates moving about their cells, coughs, footsteps of the guards that were on duty, and the clanging of bars slamming shut. Not here though. This was the true definition of quiet.

He sighed as he settled into the couch and closed his eyes, drifting lazily on the edge of sleep. The sound of a car pulling into the drive had his eyes drifting slowly open and he could tell by the sounds that it wasn't his brother's truck. Knowing that his brother and Carol hadn't made it back yet, he got up and walked to the window to peek out. He sighed as he saw Andrea exit her vehicle and he went to unlock the door to let her in.

She gave him an apologetic smile as she slipped past him inside of the cabin. He closed the door behind her and scratched at the light smattering of hair on his bare chest. Crossing his arms he turned to her and waited.

"I left him," she said softly.

Merle groaned, "Ya know stayin' here ain't gonna go down well with him."

Andrea shrugged and stared at him. "I don't have anywhere else to go Merle. Daryl has Carol so I know he doesn't have any room for me."

She looked so distraught and he groaned at the power that women had over his heartstrings. He took a seat on the couch and rubbed a hand over his face wearily.

"What happened?" 

She sighed, "I don't know...He wouldn't talk to me much. He won't let me in on what's going on in his head which isn't anything unusual. I wish he would just tell me that he gives a damn about me. I mean, I _think_ he does, but why can't he just say it?"

"He's a Dixon darlin'. We don't deal with emotions very well. In lots of ways, Mac is worse than Daryl with emotions. His Pops was a rough man. Don't know all that happened while he was livin' in Utah, but he ain't ever been good with emotion. Hell, none of us are. He loves ya though, can see it in his eyes. Must be somethin' in the damn water 'round here...get carted off to prison an' come back to all ya'll shackin' up."

"What should I do? I don't know what to do. I don't want to lose him...I just want him to realize that I love him, but I need something in return, some kind of sign that he cares for me just as much," she said.

"Can't really tell ya what to do darlin'. That there's a decision best left for ya to make on your own. Maybe he just needs a few days. If he loves ya like I think he does then he'll start missin' ya an' he'll come for ya," he said.

He figured Mac just needed a few days to come to terms with what was going on with him. The way Merle figured it, Mac had already realized that he loved Andrea and it was scaring him shitless. If he knew Mac at all then Mac was going to withdraw from the situation until he could get a better handle on it.

Coming back home from prison had been an easy transition and Merle had slipped right back into protective mode over the boys. Even though he really wasn't all that much older than them, he liked to think that he had lived a little more and he tried to guide them in a good direction. It came easier with Daryl more than Mac because Merle had always been there for Daryl as more than just a brother. It didn't mean he didn't care any less about Mac though and the way he looked at it, Mac was just as much his brother as Daryl was.

"Mind if I crash on your couch?" Andrea asked meekly.

Merle rolled his eyes and glanced at her. "Hell, I reckon' I ain't about to make your ass sleep outside. Just take my bed an' I'll sleep on the damn couch," he offered.

He had already been about to go to sleep on the couch anyway, having been too comfortable to want to move earlier.

"Are you sure? I thought you told Daryl that you weren't going to sleep on a couch, that you had earned your bed."

"Since when the hell do ya listen to everything I say anyway? Most of that shit I said because I knew the boy wanted her to live with him. Could see it in his eyes. He just needed that push so I took his options away from him." Merle shrugged nonchalantly.

Andrea smiled softly and leaned over to peck Merle on the cheek. He waved her away, but he was smiling as well.

"You're a great friend Merle Dixon," Andrea said.

Merle sucked his teeth, "Jus' what every man wants to hear from a woman," he grumbled.

Andrea stood and picked up her bag, glancing towards his bedroom. "Well hopefully I won't need to crash here long."

Merle resumed his position on the couch, chewing over his thoughts.

"Ain't worried 'bout it. Just take the time that ya need," he replied.

Andrea nodded and then moved towards the bedroom, stopping halfway and then turning to look at him. "Where _is_ Daryl? I just realized I didn't see his truck when I pulled in."

Merle chuckled, thinking about his brother on his "date".

"Reckon' the date went pretty good. Ain't come back yet." He grinned.

Andrea snickered and shook her head, "Goodnight Merle...and thanks."

"You're welcome sugar."

...


	28. Chapter 28

...

Daryl slowly awakened from a deep, sweaty, sleep to find Carol twisted around him like a pretzel. She had one leg wedged between his and her knee was riding dangerously close to his crotch. Glancing down, he could see that her face was smashed into the crook of his arm, her breathing deep and even.

She looked like Heaven.

He knew that once he started moving around that he was likely to be sore and stiff from sleeping on the bed of the truck. Despite that fact it had actually been some of the best sleep that he had gotten in a while. He could only imagine what Merle would think since they hadn't come back home. He knew he was likely to get ragged on for it later, but it would be worth it.

Feeling nature call to him he shifted away from her slowly, pulling his arm out from underneath her head. She stirred, but didn't awaken and he slid down to the tailgate to hop out. He made his way over to the woods and relieved himself, rolling his neck around on his shoulders as he did so. He was really going to regret this later he knew. Finishing up, he zipped his pants and headed back to the truck, lighting a cigarette as he went. He hopped onto the tailgate gently and smoked while casting occasional glances in Carol's direction.

She awakened about the time that he finished his cigarette and she lifted her head as he put it out. He watched as she looked around with a disoriented expression and rubbed her eyes wearily. He chuckled at her expression and her hair that seemed to poke up in odd directions. Carol must have heard him because she frowned and began combing her fingers quickly through her hair.

"Morning," she said, her voice heavy with sleep.

Daryl nodded at her, "Morning."

"I can't believe we slept out here all night." She blushed.

A hint of a smile played around his lips as he stared at her, remembering their date.

"You haven't ever slept outside before?"

She slid over to the tailgate and yawned. "No," she admitted.

He glanced back out at the landscape surrounding them. Daryl had lived most of his life outdoors so sleeping outside was nothing new to him. Given the opportunity he would probably sleep outside all of the time if the weather was right. He cast her a sidelong glance as she slid off of the truck, her thigh brushing his.

"I enjoyed it though," she said.

"Me too."

Never had he wanted to kiss her more than he did right then and there. With her freshly awakened look, the faint blush coloring her cheeks, and the scent of her enveloping his senses, he wasn't surprised to find himself growing aroused. She caught him looking and smiled, only causing his arousal to deepen. He cleared his throat quickly and looked away, angling his body so that she couldn't see the obvious bulge in his pants. Carol's stomach chose that moment to growl and he chuckled.

"Hungry?" 

"A little," she blushed. "I could probably use a shower too."

Daryl groaned inwardly as the thought of her showering did nothing to ease his problem. He shoved his hands into his pockets and pulled on the material slightly to alleviate some of the pressure.

"We'll go in just a minute," he said.

Luckily she didn't push the issue and she just leaned against the truck next to him contentedly. Daryl focused on anything but her in an attempt to calm himself enough so that he wouldn't embarrass the both of them by looking like some kind of pervert. He almost sighed in relief when he felt himself deflate a little. Standing up straight he gestured to the truck.

"Shall we?"

"Of course."

...

"Well, well, look who finally decided to call it a night? Or should I say mornin'?" Merle drawled as Carol and Daryl exited his truck.

Merle's eyes twinkled mischievously as Carol fiddled with her hair and clothes. He didn't miss the faint blush that ripened her cheeks either. Merle nodded to her as she passed him and she gave him a quick smile.

"Mornin'," Merle drawled as he sipped at his coffee.

She slipped inside of the cabin so quickly that Merle had to hold back his chuckle. He glanced over at his brother who was shaking his head at him as he walked over.

"You're such an ass," Daryl muttered as he came to a stop next to him.

Merle shrugged, "Wouldn't be me if I wasn't lil' brother. So where ya been? Frolickin' in the fields?"

Daryl shot him the bird. "Fell asleep in the damn truck...not that it's any of your business."

Merle hummed low in his throat as he swallowed down another sip of his coffee. He needed to talk to Daryl about the Andrea and Mac situation. He wasn't sure if Daryl was even aware that Andrea had stayed with him last night even though his brother had to have seen her car when he pulled up. He didn't mind Andrea staying with him, but he would rather her be back with Mac where she belonged. Too many rumors got started with situations such as these and that was the last thing that he needed. Andrea was beautiful, but she was his friend and that was the extent that their relationship went.

"You ain't said nothin' about Andrea's car bein' in the driveway," Merle commented.

Daryl lit a cigarette and took a seat on one of the patio chairs that were strewn about the yard in random places. He took a long draw, his eyes flicking over to her car and then back again.

"She leave him?" Daryl asked.

Merle sighed and played with the handle of his cup. "Yep. Said he wouldn't tell her how he felt. She just wants to know that there's somethin' worth stickin' around for."

Daryl snickered and Merle frowned at him.

"What in the hell's so funny?" Merle asked.

Daryl shook his head, "You. You sound like a damn sappy ass romance novel."

Merle sucked his teeth. "This is comin' from the guy who just spent the night with a woman on the back of some rusted out truck underneath the stars. Betcha' didn't even tap that."

Daryl came up out of his chair and stepped up into Merle, eyeing him. "It isn't like that with us. She's just coming out of a bad marriage."

Merle nodded. It didn't surprise him. She had that look about her, like she had been hurt real bad. As much of an asshole as Merle was, he never put his hands on a woman out of anger. He liked to think of himself as more of a lover than a fighter. Unless he was provoked...only then he would unleash almighty hell on someone, but never a woman.

"So what are you going to do about Andrea? You letting her stay?" Daryl changed the subject.

Merle shrugged, "She ain't go no place else to go. If I don't let her stay here she'll just go to some hotel or somethin' an' that ain't safe."

"That isn't what I meant. I meant are you gonna talk to Mac about this? Let him know she's staying with you?"

Merle sighed, "Yoe know as well as I do that there ain't much talkin' to tha man if he ain't wantin' to listen. Reckon' he knows where she went by now, but he also knows she's safe here. Give him a few days an' see what happens. He don't come 'round then we can go try an' talk some sense into him."

Daryl raised a brow at Merle, " _We_?"

Merle smirked and clapped his brother on the back hard enough to jostle him. "Damn straight. Dixon's stick together boy."

...

Daryl walked inside of the house wanting nothing more than to shower and grab himself some food. Not hearing the shower running, he walked towards the bathroom thinking that Carol was finished. The door was cracked open and he started to knock and push it open when he stopped.

His eyes zoned in on the mirror in the bathroom and he froze in place. The mirror reflected back to him a picture of Carol's very naked body as she worked to dry herself off while standing in the tub.

Daryl knew that he should move, should just walk away quickly before she caught him looking. He knew that staring at her like this without her knowledge wasn't right, but he just couldn't get his feet to cooperate.

Carol was fucking beautiful. There were no fancy words to describe it, she just was. A light smattering of freckles dotted her shoulders and arms when she moved. As she bent to dry her legs, his breath caught in his throat as he got a glimpse of her neck and back. Her perky breasts hung down with her bent body, the taut peaks of her nipples begging for his mouth. He could feel his cock rising to fill his pants yet again.

Standing up straight again, she ran the towel over her flat belly and his eyes drifted down to her long and lean legs that seemed to go on for miles. His mind conjured up visions of those legs locked around his body as he thrust into her and he shook his head quickly. Just before he began to walk away, Carol began to dry her hair and Daryl was treated to a peek of her mound.

He closed his eyes and mentally forced himself to move. He needed somewhere to go and take care of his problem, but until Carol left the bathroom he had nowhere to go. Planting himself onto the couch, he quickly grabbed a pillow and placed it over his lap. He knew that he looked ridiculous, but there wasn't a whole lot he could do about it at this point.

He heard the sink running in the bathroom and Carol moving around inside. Minutes later she strolled out, faltering slightly at the sight of him sitting there quietly.

"Oh, I didn't hear you come in," Carol commented.

Daryl nodded, his eyes not quite meeting hers. "Came in a few minutes ago."

He waited, silently praying that she would leave the room for a minute so that he could make his escape. He saw her eyes drift over the pillow questioningly, but thankfully she chose not to comment.

"Well I'm going to put these clothes up and then I thought I might try to cook us something to eat," she said.

"You don't have to do that," Daryl said gruffly.

He watched as a couple of water droplets slid from her hair down her neck and underneath the material of her shirt.

"I don't mind."

"I'm gonna take a shower," Daryl said quickly.

"Okay. I'll go rummage and see what I can find," she said as she entered through the doorway of his bedroom.

Daryl took the opportunity and hurried into the bathroom, shutting the door quickly behind him. He leaned his back against it for several moments, his body aching. With shaky fingers he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, almost sighing with relief with the extra room it provided him. Moving his boxers around Daryl pulled his cock out, gripping the hot flesh with his fist. Rubbing his thumb over the tip, he gathered up the wetness there and spread it over his length. Biting on his lip he began to pump his hand tightly up and down, his eyes closing as he envisioned Carol drying herself off again.

It didn't take him long at all before he was spurting hot cum over the tips of his fingers and onto the tiled floor beneath him. Panting from his excitement, Daryl stared down at himself feeling slightly dirty. It felt wrong to have watched her without her knowledge like some kind of dirty old pervert. He needed to tell her that he had seen her, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable in any way.

He groaned to himself as he grabbed up some toilet paper and began to clean himself and the floor. If this was how it was going to be having Carol around, then he was going to need a lot more toilet paper and possibly an extra bathroom.

...


	29. Chapter 29

...........

Carol wasn't sure what woke her, but something did and she rolled over to blink at the clock next to the bed. It was nearly two in the morning and she sighed. For some reason she must have been snoozing with her mouth open because her throat was incredibly dry. She wearily rolled over and sat up on the side of the bed, debating on whether or not she actually had the energy to go to the kitchen or just try to go back to sleep.

Knowing that her parched throat would bother her until she did something about it, Carol got up and padded softly to the door. She opened it slowly and stuck her head out. She could hear Daryl's deep and even breathing from the couch and she slipped from the room, trying to be silent so that she wouldn't awaken him. She fixed herself a glass of tap water and drank it down before leaving the glass by the sink to wash later. Padding back towards the room, she paused as she caught sight of Daryl fully this time.

He was spread out across the couch...well as much as one _could_ be spread out given the amount of room that he had. His chest was bare, the blanket having been tugged down to his thighs. She took a moment to let her eyes linger over his chest. With him being asleep, she had the opportunity to study him without him knowing and she took her time.

His face was relaxed in sleep, one chiseled arm slung behind his head as he snoozed. For some reason, Carol found the position that he was lying in to be incredibly erotic and she felt something stir deep within her. Remembering how it felt to sleep next to him on the back of his truck made her body start to grow hot and she knew she should just go back to bed, but she couldn't.

The rise and fall of his chest drew her attention down to his crotch. Even in sleep, he had an impressive looking bulge beneath his low slung jogging pants. She felt her face flame as she thought about touching it, running her hands all over him. There was something very sexy about seeing him appear so content and unguarded. Even during the day when he was in a good mood, there was still a part of him that held back. She had sensed that about him numerous times since they had met.

He mumbled something in his sleep and shifted, causing Carol's heart to pound frantically with the thought that she might get caught staring. Moving back into the bedroom much quicker than when she had come out, Carol pushed the door closed and climbed back into the bed. She tried to burrow into the blankets and go back to sleep, but she found that her body was too worked up to settle down now.

Cursing herself for leaving the bed the first time, she knew she was going to have to do something to relieve the ache. Listening for any sounds from Daryl and not hearing anything, she slid her hand underneath the blankets. Spreading her legs, she pushed beneath the waist of her shorts and down to her mound where she dipped a finger inside of herself.

She bit back a moan at the contact. It had been a long time since she had touched herself sexually. Ed had stolen almost all of her sexuality it seemed, but Daryl...Daryl brought it rushing back in waves. Never had she felt such an intense need to get herself off. She felt slightly feverish as she stroked herself, her fingers gliding across her clit, slippery with her juices.

Carol slid her other hand underneath her shirt and she began to rub her nipples, imagining Daryl running his own fingers or tongue across them. Her breathing deepened, her body temperature continuing to rise until she felt almost feverish. Closing her eyes, Carol stroked herself harder, losing herself to more images of Daryl doing things to her instead of her own self.

Just as she worked her legs up on the bed so that her knees were bent, Carol heard Daryl's voice and she froze.

"Carol? You okay?" His voice was gruff and laced with sleep.

Carol quickly removed her hands, a guilty blush creeping over her face as she hid underneath the shield of the blankets. What was he doing up?

"I'm fine." Her voice came out slightly hoarse and she closed her eyes in embarrassment.

Blinking, she focused her attention on the door and could just make out his silhouette standing in the doorway of the bedroom. He was quiet for several minutes and Carol could swear that he would be able to hear her heart thundering within her chest from across the room.

"You sure? I heard you moaning and I thought you might be having a nightmare or something again."

She wanted to _die_ from humiliation. She had been so engrossed on getting herself off that she hadn't even realized how into the whole thing she had gotten. She had actually woken Daryl up with her moans.

"Nope," she replied in what she hoped was a convincing voice.

He still made no effort to move and Carol was torn, caught up in the midst of her pleasure and now the pain of being able to finish. She was throbbing with barely controlled need.

When Daryl moved further into the room, Carol tensed. He stopped at the edge of the bed, his scent enveloping her nose strongly. Carol held her breath, the ache within her intensifying knowing that he was barely a hair's breadth from her.

"Oh God, please Daryl. I can't take it. I was masturbating, okay?" Carol said in a low voice as she sunk into the bed further.

She heard his barely audible intake of breath and she waited. She had just shared something incredibly intimate with him and now she wasn't quite sure how she was feeling about that. What came next shocked her more than anything in her life had thus far and that was saying something.

"You..." He paused, his breathing heavy, "You need some help?"

Carol mewled, a mixture of horror and arousal flooding through her body simultaneously. She couldn't make out his face in the darkness, but she knew that her own was shamefully red.

When the tips of his fingers grazed the top of the blanket she let out a shuddering breath. He lingered there momentarily, probably to see if she was going to tell him to go to hell or not. As embarrassed as she was though, there was no way that she was going to ask him to leave. Her body was far too wired to turn back at this point.

"What's got you so turned on?" He whispered.

Carol whimpered as he sat down on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping with his weight. Her stomach quivered as his hand traveled beneath the blankets and hovered over her belly, the heat of it all pushing her blindly to the edge of all reason. She couldn't seem to form the right words so she did the only thing she could think of. She arched her hips up into his hand, hoping that he would take the hint.

When his fingers met the the ridge of her shorts she thought she might die from the anticipation of it all. The rough pads of his fingers inched underneath the material, sliding across her belly and further down until they skirted her mound. Carol moaned from the ecstasy.

"Goddamn," Daryl muttered and she felt his hand tremble. "What the hell was I thinking? You sure?" 

"Please," Carol replied breathlessly.

He slid one long digit past her soft hair and inside of her folds suddenly, the tension so thick that it hung heavily in the air between them. He paused for several seconds and Carol swore that she could hear him swallow hard. Slowly he circled the tip of his finger over her wetness and Carol closed her eyes, savoring the feel of him touching her so intimately.

"You got to tell me what you like Carol. Haven't done this before," he murmured.

Carol blinked, her eyes popping open in shock, "Y-You haven't?" She stuttered slightly.

"No," Daryl's gravely voice flowed over her.

Sliding her own hand beneath the blankets, Carol slid it on top of Daryl's and pushed his finger deeper, moving it up so that it thrummed over her clit. She hissed in a breath, her body stretching so taut that she was afraid it might snap at any given second. He took her lead and began to circle the nub slowly, applying firm pressure as he did so. Carol closed her eyes once again, keeping her hand over his. There was something strangely erotic about feeling his strong fingers move underneath the palm of her hand as he stroked her closer to her orgasm.

He shifted his weight and suddenly she felt his warm breath by her ear. "Wanna kiss you," he whispered.

Carol grabbed him by the back of the head with her free hand and pulled his lips to hers in response. Without skipping a beat, she slid her tongue into his mouth, taking him by surprise. He faltered for mere seconds before he returned the kiss with equal passion, his mouth hot on hers. His mouth, hand, and his scent combined to push her over the edge and Carol tightened her grip around his neck as she began to spiral. He swallowed her moans into his mouth with a groan as her body vibrated out of control. It had been too long and when she finally pulled away, she was breathing far too heavily for her liking.

Slowly he slipped his hand from her shorts and out. Neither of them said anything as she tried to calm her beating heart. Although she had just had an orgasm, Carol still felt an ache deep in her belly. She wanted more...she wanted _him_. Emotionally, she knew it was better to wait like they had said though so she tried to will her body to relax which was easier said than done with him sitting so closely next to her.

He was deathly quiet and she shifted her head so that she could peer closely at him in the darkness now that her eyes had adjusted a little bit more. She died a thousand deaths when she saw him slowly insert his finger into his mouth...the same finger that had just been inside of her mere moments ago. He wasn't looking at her and she doubted that he even knew she was watching him, but she was so transfixed on the sight of it all that she couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

"Oh, God..." she breathed.

Daryl slid his finger out of his mouth, turning his head to look at her and their eyes met in the darkness. He cleared his throat softly.

"Sorry," he muttered, "I jus-"

"No," Carol gasped. "Don't be sorry. That was so hot...I'm shaking," she admitted.

"Fuck, me too," he whispered.

Lifting herself up to a sitting position, she leaned over and pressed her lips softly to his. It wasn't a deep kiss, but it was scorching all the same.

"Thank you," she said softly when she pulled away from his lips.

"No thanks necessary, believe me."

Carol chuckled, "See you in the morning?"

She was getting tired and she could feel her eyelids already starting to droop. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and rose from the bed.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight Daryl," she replied.

She listened for the sound of his footsteps and heard nothing but the sound of the door softly shutting behind him. Sighing, she snuggled into his pillow, falling quickly into a heavy sleep.

...

Mac threw back another shot, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he glared around the bar with nearly bloodshot eyes. He had known what a bad idea it was to come to the bar in town, knowing that in his current mood the night could end badly.

He had lost track of how many shots he had consumed thus far... not that he really cared. He had come here with a specific reason and that reason was blonde with long legs, and a nice ass. That _reason_ was haunting him...badly.

For the first time in his life, Mac had messed up to the point that he felt almost guilty. He had done stupid shit numerous times throughout his life, but he hadn't ever cared a bit about the consequences, until now. He hated that the fact that she had left him. It was slowly driving him insane with the need to go get her and bring her back.

Of course he knew she had gone to Merle's place. Mac knew that Daryl wouldn't have room and Andrea would have no where else to go. He was slightly comforted by the fact that she was at least safe with Merle. Mac wasn't stupid...he knew that Merle wouldn't make a move on Andrea. That day that he had jumped into Merle's shit had just been him trying to blow off steam and Merle had just been the first to step into his sights.

Violence was the only way he knew to work through his anger. It was the only thing that had ever worked to calm him down. That and sex. Since sex was obviously out of the question, he was merely a ticking bomb waiting for the right moment to explode. Normally, on a Saturday night that wouldn't take long, but so far tonight everyone had steered clear of him. It only further served to sour his mood.

So that's where his mind was when the arrogant asshole that had been talking loudly with some other men brushed too close to him, causing his liquor to spill onto his jeans. Mac's eyes flashed dangerously, but the man only shrugged and wedged himself up to the bar, oblivious to the fuse he had just ignited.

Mac jerked the man's arm. "You made me spill my goddamn drink. I think you owe me another one," he growled.

The man looked down at Mac's hand on his arm and then into Mac's face. "I don't owe you shit man. I think you better remove your hand before I remove it for you," he threatened.

Mac smiled slowly, his eyes darkening. "Try me motherfucker, just try me."

The bartender and owner of the bar Jim, glanced over at them, "Mac." His voice held a warning that Mac heard, but ignored.

Jim was a nice guy, but he also didn't like patrons starting shit in his bar. Mac couldn't blame him ordinarily, but tonight...tonight he pretty much didn't give a fuck. He barely paid any attention as Jim picked up the phone that sat on the other side of the bar.

"Joe!" Someone across the bar yelled and the man whom Mac was staring down turned his head to look.

That was his first mistake. Mac's fist shot out and connected with the man's jaw, throwing him backwards into the man sitting behind him. Mac slid off of his stool and tightened his fist, the adrenaline pulsing through his veins.

What happened afterwards could only be described as chaos.

...


	30. Chapter 30

...

Andrea groaned in her sleep and rolled over in the bed trying to bury her head beneath a pillow. What _was_ that shrill noise? Growling in frustration, she lifted her head from the pillow and blinked her eyes sleepily, trying to come to her senses enough to locate the source of the noise. At about that same time Merle poked his head in the door, his eyes alert and searching.

"Goddamn woman, answer ya phone," he said gruffly.

Andrea blinked once again and then hurriedly reached for her phone, wondering who could be calling her so late at night.

"Hello?"

"Is this Andrea?" A shrill voice asked.

Andrea's body went on alert and she scooted further in the bed so that she was leaning against the headboard.

"Yes, this is Andrea," she replied.

"Thank God! This is Jim down at the bar. Mac is past his limit and starting some shit with my customers. I've got him momentarily detained, but if someone don't come and get him, I'm gonna have to call the cops."

Andrea sighed wearily. "I'll be there in a few minutes Jim. Thanks," she said before hanging up.

Merle, who had never left the doorway now leaned against it with his arms crossed while staring at her. Andrea tossed back the covers and stood up, her blood pressure rising the more she thought about Mac. She briefly wondered how Jim had managed to detain him, but decided that it really didn't matter. She didn't really want him spending a night in jail although she was sorely tempted to leave his ass over there for the cops to collect.

"Mac's started some shit up at the bar," Andrea huffed as she shoved her legs into a pair of jeans and shimmied them up under her nightgown.

"Fuckin' hell. Reckon' I oughta get Daryl and we'll come with ya. Gonna need some backup to get his ass outta there I'm sure. Gimme five minutes," Merle said.

Andrea nodded, waiting for him to close the door so that she could slide off her gown and slip her bra and t-shirt on. She prayed that he hadn't done any significant damage to anyone or anything, but she knew chances were likely that he had. It had been an awfully long time since a situation such as this had arisen and she knew his dumbass was drinking because of her. Letting out a deep sigh, she grabbed her car keys and went to wait on Merle and Daryl.

...

Andrea entered the bar with Merle and Daryl in tow. It was nearly empty at this time of morning and only a couple of patrons remained, finishing up their last bit of alcohol before they finally called it a night.

Looking around, she worried when she didn't see Mac at first, fearing that Jim had gotten tired of waiting and called the cops anyway. Then she spotted him in slumped over in a booth over in the corner. She couldn't see his face, but there was no mistaking the strength and build of his body. She had ran her hands over every inch of it enough times to know.

Daryl and Merle immediately went to talk to Jim while Andrea made her way over to Mac.

"Hey," Daryl called to her and she turned. "He starts being a bitch you let us know," he warned.

Andrea nodded and waved off his statement, not concerned with Mac at all. He could be your worst nightmare if he wanted, but to her he was simply Mac.

He was also knocked out cold.

Rolling her eyes, Andrea shoved him hard so that his arms slid from the table and his head dropped to the side. He jerked awake just before his head hit the wall next to the booth, glaring around at the world. He finally noticed her and he blinked at her several times, a scowl forming on his face.

"You fuckin' push me?" He growled.

"You're damn right I did! What the hell is the matter with you Mac? Fighting!?" Andrea put her hands on her hips, undeterred by his irritable expression.

He looked away from her towards the bar and she saw the moment that he spotted Merle and Daryl across the room. He sighed heavily and rubbed his palms across his eyes. There was a scratch next to his eye that hadn't been there before and she assumed that it was where Jim had knocked him out or he had been fighting.

He slid over and gestured to the empty space next to him, "Sit down."

Andrea narrowed her eyes at him and simply stood there staring at him.

He threw up his hands. "Look, I'm sorry. Can you fucking _please_ sit down?"

Curious, Andrea perched on the end of the booth next to him. Even though he reeked of alcohol, Andrea was well aware of just how much she had been missing him as soon as she sat.

"You're going to drag this shit out, aren't you?" He asked sourly.

"That's it!" Andrea huffed, but before she could move from the booth Mac grabbed her wrist, holding her in place.

"Look, don't leave. I know I'm an asshole. I'll be the first to admit it," he said.

Andrea huffed. "Doubt that."

He shot her a look, but he didn't comment on her sarcasm.

"I want you back... _need_ you back," he said.

Andrea looked down at her hands and where his fingers were still wrapped around her wrist, the tips resting lightly over her pulse. She inhaled deeply and tried to focus all of her energy on the conversation. She could hear Merle and Daryl talking to Jim, their deep voices carrying over to where they were sitting. Sometimes she wished that Mac could be more like Merle or Daryl when it came to relationships, but she knew she wouldn't be happy if he was. Mac was his own person and that was part of the reason that she was so drawn to him.

"Why?" She asked simply, turning her head to stare at him.

"You know why," he said under his breath, his jaw clenched.

"I swear it's like pulling fucking teeth with you Mac. Why can't you just admit that I mean something to you? Is it really that hard to say it?" 

He frowned. "Yeah, it fucking is!" He snapped back, "You know how I feel about you. Hell, I let you fucking move in, didn't I? I take you out to fucking dinner."

Andrea nodded. "You do," she agreed. "But I want more. I don't want to spend the rest of my life as someone's _something."_

Mac was quiet for several minutes in which she attempted to pull her hand back, but he once again refused to let go. Finally she relented and just rested her hand against his thigh, letting him do whatever it was that he needed to do.

"You're the first woman I've ever let this close to me. Doesn't that mean shit to you?" He asked softly.

"I-"

"No," He interrupted, "Let me finish...I'm not one for emotions or letting anybody into my life. I don't like emotions because I feel like it gives people too much power over your life. Like now...I've never told you how I feel, but you've still managed to turn my life into one big pile of shit just by leaving. Do you have any idea what kind of a fucking mess I would be if I had actually told you how I feel?" He stroked his fingers over her pulse repeatedly in a somewhat soothing gesture, "You actually already have the power to destroy me and I don't even think you fucking realize it. The best that I can fucking offer you is that you're _it_ for me. I can't even _look_ at another goddamn bitch without comparing her to you. Do you understand what that does to a man? Does that give you any goddamn idea of how I feel about you?" He turned to look at her, pinning her with his hardcore stare.

Andrea inhaled softly, her heart beating faster than she would have liked. Somehow it wasn't the declaration of love she had been hoping for, but when she looked at him, she understood that he was baring himself to her emotionally. He was raw and completely open to her in that moment. She felt bad that she had pushed him, but this was all she had wanted. She just wanted some kind of acknowledgement that if she went away, then she would be missed. She didn't want to just be another woman passing through his life. Andrea wanted more than that and as long as he realized that she was it for him, then she was more than willing to stick around and work through the rest.

"I guess I do now," she replied softly. "All I wanted was for you to admit that you gave a damn about me Mac, that's all."

He scoffed, his gaze sliding across the bar towards the brothers. "I admit it to you every damn day baby, but you just don't pay attention. Fuck, I guess I'm just as much yours as you are mine."

Andrea felt her resolve cave and she launched herself across the booth and into his arms, spectators be damned. He was ready for her, but then again he always was. His lips met hers head on, hot and wet. She whimpered into his mouth as his hands slid into her hair, pulling her closer to him. Mac was her drug of choice and Andrea was suffering from withdrawals. He nipped her lip hard enough to make her gasp and her insides twist with arousal.

"Reckon' the two of ya can find someplace else to do that shit? Like Mac's place for instance?" Merle griped as he walked over to them.

Andrea reluctantly pulled her lips from Mac's, his own eyes matching hers with arousal and raw need. She knew that they would be lucky to last the ride home in the truck without climbing each other like animals.

"We good now? You two kissed an' made up?" Merle quipped.

Mac glared at him over Andrea's shoulder and Andrea nodded up at Merle. "Yeah, thanks Merle. You and Daryl can take my car back home and I'll pick it up sometime tomorrow," she told him.

Merle nodded at Mac, silent words being exchanged between the two men through mere expression. Mac nudged Andrea towards the edge of the booth, throwing an apology to Jim as they exited the bar. Merle and Daryl had already taken off so they were pretty much the last ones left in the parking lot except for Jim's car.

Andrea snaked her hand into Mac's pocket to grab his keys, her fingers brushing his very distinct arousal as she did so. He growled low in his throat and Andrea danced just out of his reach as he made a swipe for her. She climbed into the cab as he opened the passenger door and hopped inside. It wasn't very often that she got to drive his truck and she silently counted it as another concession from him to add to the growing list that she was building.

She should have known he would have ulterior motives as soon as she felt his hand slide across her bare thigh, brushing the hem of her shorts. He surprised her when he stopped with his hand resting there, not pursuing the action any farther. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and he winked at her, his eyes full of dark and sinful promises to come.

...


	31. Chapter 31

...

"You get all your shit worked out?" Daryl asked Mac as he walked into the shop the next morning.

He was glad that Andrea and Mac seemed to be working out their problems. He didn't care for a lot of drama and he knew that Mac cared for Andrea in his own way so he didn't know why he tried to fight it.

Mac grunted as he popped the top on an energy drink and chugged half of it, clearly looking like he was lacking sleep. Daryl kept his grin to himself, knowing full well what that meant.

"Musta been some night," Merle commented as he strode over to a toolbox and grabbed a wrench, casting a glance in Mac's direction.

With Merle being back, Daryl was getting caught up on all of his work and he finally felt like he could relax a little.

"Fuck the both of you with a sharp stick," Mac grumbled as he finished off his drink and crushed the can with his hand before tossing it into the trash.

Daryl and Merle both snickered, exchanging a knowing glance.

"Where's your woman at this morning D?" Mac asked as he perched himself upon a stool.

Daryl shot him a look, "If you're referring to Carol, then she isn't here because she had to go by and see about her community service shit."

Michonne had called his phone earlier this morning wanting to speak with Carol about it. She didn't know how many hours of service she would have to complete before they considered her time served, but she was supposed to be getting all of that information this morning as well as figuring out exactly what they would be having her do. Daryl hoped it wouldn't be anything degrading like picking trash up from the side of the road. Daryl had let her take his truck and he had rode into the shop with Merle. Carol was supposed to come by the shop when she was done.

Mac sighed, "Complete bullshit if you ask me. The fucker got what he deserved."

"Somebody mind tellin' me exactly what it was she done that was so bad?" Merle's voice called from across the shop where he was working on a motorcycle.

Mac turned his head and spit into the trashcan that was next to him before getting off of his ass and getting to work. He threw Daryl a glance.

"You want to take that one, lover boy?" Mac asked.

Daryl scowled at him. "Least I didn't have to get my _girlfriend_ to come down to a bar last night and drag my drunk ass home," he retorted.

Mac pointed his wrench at Daryl, "Fuck you asshole."

Daryl chuckled, "I see you aren't denying that girlfriend bit."

"If you two are done jackin' off, can we get back to the topic? What in the hell did your woman do Daryl?" Merle asked.

Daryl lit himself a cigarette, feeling like he was in the room with a bunch of women gossiping about stupid shit. He wasn't sure how much he should say about Carol's situation and it wasn't because he didn't trust his brother because he did whole-heartedly. It was more of whether or not it was his place to say anything. He didn't know if maybe Carol wanted to keep it between the people who already knew. She hadn't mentioned it too much...not that they had been doing a whole lot of talking lately.

It was getting to the point where Daryl was jerking off every morning in the shower in an attempt to keep his hormones in check. He was disgusted at his inability to keep his cool sexually where she was concerned. He found himself acting like a horny teenager every time she was around him which was more and more lately. He could still smell her scent on his fingers for crying out loud.

"Her husband was abusive which I think you already know about. She went through years of him tormenting her daily until she finally snapped and fought back. She shot him and then she ran. Ended up here." Daryl skimmed over a lot of the details, figuring if she wanted Merle to know, then she could tell him.

Merle whistled, "Ain't that some shit? I'd have to agree with Mac, fucker got what he deserved sounds like. Also sounds like ya got yourself a lil' firecracker."

Daryl scowled, "We done yappin' here? Got shit to do. We're not making any money flapping our gums."

...

It was lunchtime before Carol pulled up at the shop and they were taking a break, gulping down bottles of water to combat the heat that settled over them like a thick blanket. Daryl watched her as she hopped out of his truck, her long legs seeming to stretch on for miles. She began walking towards the shop, shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand as she went. He let his eyes roam over her appreciatively. She had on a pair of shorts that he figured Andrea must have loaned her at some point and a plain white t-shirt. He felt his mouth run dry even though he had already downed nearly three bottles of water.

She smiled as she entered the shop, blinking her eyes as she adjusted to the shade. She looked around and he saw the moment her eyes connected with his. He felt a surge of arousal shoot through him so strongly he had to look away for a moment and clear his throat.

She nodded to Mac and Merle who were busy sneaking knowing smirks at Daryl. "Hi guys," she greeted them.

They returned the greeting with grunts and nods, continuing to smile knowingly. Daryl wanted to kick their ass, but he refrained because Carol turned to him last, her smile widening. He was momentarily lost in the beauty of it and all thought of Mac and Merle fled from his mind.

"Did you find out about the community service?" He asked.

Carol nodded, "I'm going to be helping at a veterinarian's office in the next town over." She glanced down at a sheet of paper, "His name is Hershel Greene and I'm supposed to report to him at the beginning of next week. I'll need to log in one hundred hours," she explained.

Daryl's eyes widened, "A hundred hours? That's a lot of hours."

Carol shrugged. "It could be worse," she said softly as she glanced at the ground and then back up to him. "I won't be able to help you out as much around here though." She gnawed at her lip, an expression of worry crossing her face.

"There's not much to do around here anyway. Hell, you done about organized everything and I got these two knuckleheads here now. I suppose I'm not hurting for help," Daryl commented.

"How am I supposed to earn my place to stay? I need to repay you somehow," she said.

Daryl's brain immediately envisioned several ways that she could repay him, but he would never speak them out loud. He tightened his grip on his bottle of water until the plastic popped slightly, jolting him from his daydreams. He had to get a fucking grip.

"If it bothers you that much, you can just take over the cooking," he offered.

"I'm more than willing to do whatever I can to help you out."

Daryl heard Mac and Merle snicker and his eyes cut over to them, shooting out silent warnings over Carol's head. Shaking his head, he grabbed her hand and tugged her behind him into his makeshift office, shutting the door behind them. He could hear Merle making catcalls through the thin wood of the door and he rolled his eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Carol asked tentatively.

It was then that he realized that he was leaning against the closed door, his whole body tense. He forced himself to relax and then nodded.

"Just can't think with those two out there sometimes. They're on some kind of immaturity kick today," Daryl said.

"Oh," Carol replied.

She glanced around his office. She had been in here a good bit since coming to work with him to organize his files. The office was the cleanest it had ever been. He watched her run a finger over the top of the old wooden desk and he imagined pushing her down on top of it and having his way with her.

Forcing in a deep breath that almost made him begin to cough, he jerked his eyes away from her altogether and focused on a dark stain in the ceiling where he had once had a leak. The stain looked darker in a way and he wondered if the damn thing was still leaking. He didn't spend too much time in here.

"Daryl?" Carol touched his arm and he jerked.

"Christ!" He hissed without thinking. He hadn't heard her approach him at all which was very unlike him. He glanced at her apologetically when she tensed, but her hand remained on his arm. "Sorry," He muttered.

"Are you sure that everything is okay?" She pressed. "Is this about last night and you..." She blushed. "About when you...helped me?"

He wanted to sink into the floor right then and there. Just the mention of him sliding his fingers into her warmth had his cock raging inside of his jeans and he shoved his hands into his pockets, discreetly trying to shift the material around to give himself more room.

"Nah. It isn't that at all," he replied. "It isn't you."

She nodded, but she didn't look convinced. Her fingers slid up his arm half of an inch and he felt the air between them change into something more heated, the electricity snapping between them. He swallowed loudly while watching her hand glide up his arm and cup his slightly scruffy cheek. She took a step closer and he could almost feel the heat from her body radiating off of her.

"Can I kiss you?" She asked softly.

Something snapped inside of Daryl. He wasn't sure if it was the way that she asked, the tension, or the fact that her hand was driving him fucking crazy. It may have been a combination of the three, but he jerked his hands from his pockets, turning her so that she was pressed against the wall. His hands pressed into the wall on either side of her head caging her in.

Without waiting for confirmation, he swooped in and claimed her lips for himself. She opened to him almost immediately, his tongue snaking into her delicate warmth. He felt nearly frantic with the need to be close to her. Unthinkingly, he pressed himself against her and she whimpered into his mouth, the sound nearly setting him off. He forced himself to take it easy, but as he began to back off Carol grabbed his sweaty shirt, her eyes flicking up to his with a pleading look.

She pulled away, "Don't. Don't pull back. Please."

That was all the confirmation that Daryl needed and he went back in full force, sweeping his tongue inside to join hers once again. His hand hovered at the hem of her t-shirt and he nervously let his fingers slide just underneath it to the flesh of her belly. He waited before continuing to make sure she didn't object and she reached down to grab his hand and push it further under her shirt. He slid it up until he touched the fabric of her bra and she pulled her lips from his to draw air into her lungs. He inched his fingers up and pushed the cups of her bra out of the way, his hand finally touching her breast. He rested his palm there, his eyes closing as a shudder of pleasure shot through his body.

He glanced at her, his eyes full of need and longing and he was surprised to see the same emotions reflected in hers. She leaned forward, her hands beginning their own explorations of his chest.

The sudden pounding at the door had them both jumping and Daryl cursed beneath his breath.

"What?" He cried out harshly, his eyes still focused on Carol.

Her pupils were dilated and her lips parted as she moved to get her clothing back into place quickly.

"Got company D," Mac called through the door.

Daryl sighed, resting his head next to Carol on the wood of the door as he waited for his heart and certain body parts to return to normal.

"Maybe...maybe later we can try again?" Carol offered.

Daryl's head snapped back from the wall, his eyes pinning her in place with their intensity. He stared at her, searching her eyes to see if that was what she really wanted. When she leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to his lips, he nodded, not trusting himself to say anything.

She smiled at him then and he felt his body relax somewhat. The day was half over. He had a visitor and some more work to do around the shop before going home, but it wouldn't take him that long to complete it. His heart was beating double time at what the evening would possibly have in store for him.

...


	32. Chapter 32

...

Carol changed into a shirt and shorts for bed, running her fingers through her hair nervously. Daryl had ordered pizza in for them and she had left the room to change into something more comfortable while he paid the delivery guy.

She remembered what she had said to him earlier...had been thinking about it all day in fact. Now that they were back at his place and alone she could think of nothing else. She had absolutely no idea how she was going to get through dinner without doing something stupid like throwing herself at him.

With a sigh, she opened the bedroom door and entered into the living room, finding Daryl in the kitchen sneaking a slice of pepperoni off of the pizza. He hadn't noticed her and she watched as he picked up a slice and took a bite, a dab of grease running down his finger. He cursed under his breath and looked for somewhere to set the slice of pizza so that he could wipe his hand.

Carol walked into the room and grabbed his hand, her eyes meeting his, a jolt of electricity passing between them. Summoning her courage, she bent and stuck his finger into her mouth. She swirled her tongue around it to remove the grease and slowly slid it out, lightly dragging her teeth over his skin as she released it with a soft pop. Daryl stood absolutely still, his eyes dark and trained on her. He tossed his pizza slice back into the box.

"Christ," he muttered before he grabbed her, his hands tangling into her hair as his mouth devoured hers with all the ferocity of a rabid animal.

Their mouths met in a clash of teeth and tongues as they nearly tried to devour each other standing in the middle of his kitchen. Carol was breathing heavily, her body aroused to the point where she didn't care if they did it outside for anyone to see. She wasn't waiting anymore. She wanted him and she wanted him _now_.

Daryl's hands cupped her ass as they spun around the kitchen and she felt her back colliding with the kitchen counter, but she barely paid it any notice. She slid her hands underneath his shirt, feeling the broad expanse of muscle there, her nails scratching him lightly. He moved his mouth from her lips and trailed his tongue down the side of her neck, pausing to suck her skin into his mouth. Carol moaned, her head falling backwards to smack soundly against the kitchen cabinets.

"You alright?" Daryl muttered, his eyes drifting to hers.

Carol hissed, pushing him backwards against the other counter. She wasn't sure what had gotten into her exactly. Maybe it was a combination of everything that had been happening lately finally crashing together all at once. The fact that she had killed Ed, almost went to jail, fled Kentucky, and met Daryl.

"I'm done waiting Daryl. I need you to touch me," Carol said.

He blinked. "I am touching you."

She reached down and whipped off her shirt, leaving her bare from the chest up since she hadn't been wearing a bra. Daryl's eyes glazed over and he inadvertently licked his lips. Carol grabbed his hand and placed it over her breast.

"I need you to touch me like _this_ ," she insisted.

His nostrils flared and his thumb stroked over her pink nipple, his eyes locked with hers. She moaned, leaning into his touch and he momentarily dropped his hand to lift her, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist. She wound her arms around his neck and lowered her head to the flesh between his neck and shoulder, nipping at it lightly.

"Fuck!" He hissed as he carried her out of the kitchen.

He paused in the living room and Carol knew he was deciding the best place to go. She pulled back from his neck and stared at him.

"I've never done it on a couch before," she whispered.

Daryl turned them in the direction of the couch, his mouth grabbing hers again as they moved. She wrapped her fingers into his hair and tugged, feeling completely uninhibited. Sitting down, he pulled her into his lap and she gasped at the feel of his erection pressing against her through her clothing. He bent his head, his wet mouth closing over one of her nipples, his tongue lapping at the tip before he pulled it into his mouth. Carol tugged on his shirt and he pulled back just long enough so that he could yank it over his head.

Carol ran her hands over his sculpted muscles, hardly being able to believe that this was happening to her. His hands and mouth felt like Heaven against her skin and she felt like she couldn't get enough of him. His hands moved to her ass and she arched into him as he gave it a firm squeeze. He pulled back and blew out a deep breath, his blue eyes burning into her.

"You sure you want this?" He whispered, his voice low and gravelly.

"Shut up Daryl," Carol hissed as she latched her mouth onto his ear, sucking the lobe into her mouth.

He groaned, thrusting his pelvis into her and causing her to whimper around his ear. He hooked his thumbs into her shorts and slid them down over her ass and she leaned up on her knees, holding onto him as she lifted her legs one at a time so that he could pull them off. In minutes she was fully naked and he let his hands roam all over her, discovering her body.

She felt slightly self conscious, but she tried to ignore it as his eyes roamed over her. She really hoped that he wasn't disappointed because she knew she didn't have a model type of body, but she did consider herself fit at least.

Daryl let his eyes feast over her naked body, drinking in as much of her as he could all at once. His cock was straining so hard against the denim of his jeans that he felt sure the seams might burst at any given moment. He briefly thought about how embarrassing it would be to cum before they even made it that far and then he decided that he didn't care. Carol was beautiful, her skin soft and creamy, bathed in the soft glow of the lamp that was lit. She was perfect.

Daryl hadn't realized how distracted he had become by her until she was on her knees in front of him, her hands already working his pants open. Before he could stop her she reached inside and grabbed his cock, her small hands wrapping around the base firmly. He arched upward, his ass lifting off of the couch at her touch. His head fell onto the back of the couch as his breathing became heavier.

At the first touch of her mouth, he snapped his head up, not being able to resist watching her. She hesitantly touched his throbbing cock with her tongue, licking it first up one side and then down the other as if she were licking an ice cream cone on a hot day. Daryl groaned, drops of cum glistening at the head of his member. She lapped up the drops with her tongue, swiping them into her mouth and then giving him a soft smile as she slid her hot mouth over him.

" _Fuck_!" He spit the words out, his chest heaving as he worked to keep from pouring his load deep inside of her mouth at the first suck.

She kept her hand wrapped around the base of him firmly, her other hand lightly fondling his balls as she slid her mouth down his length. Daryl arched his hips up slightly, wanting to drive into her wet heat roughly, but holding himself back. He threaded his fingers through her hair and lifted it from around her face, holding it up so that he could watch. Her breasts brushed against his thighs as she moved up and down on him and his cock tightened with an almost unbearable pressure. She increased the suction as she slid up his shaft and Daryl clenched his jaw, his hips pushing up into her. She accepted him and he groaned. He had no idea when he had lost control of this situation so completely, but he obviously had at some point.

She hummed low in her throat and the vibrations sent Daryl over the edge, his body going rigid as he spilled himself inside of her. He realized belatedly that he hadn't given her any warning, any chance to pull back, but she didn't seem bothered and she drank as much of him in as she could, her tongue sliding back down to catch any that escaped. It was hands down the most erotic fucking thing he had ever experienced in his life.

When she leaned back on her heels, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand, Daryl wanted to shove himself so deeply into her that he had to force himself to sit still.

"Was that okay?" She asked softly.

She hadn't ever given a blowjob before, but she had heard other women talk about them and she had read about them in books. She only hoped that it didn't show that she was inexperienced in that area. She really wanted it to be good for him like it had been for her when he had helped her the other night. She still shivered with pleasure when she thought about that night.

Daryl leaned forward and caught her under the arms, hauling her back up and onto his lap. His cock was already hardening again and it pressed lightly against her slit, her wetness dripping onto him.

"It was better than okay," he responded gruffly as his lips covered hers.

Carol lost herself into the kiss, running her tongue against his as he swept her mouth hungrily. When she pulled away, she leaned back and his lips kissed a trail down her belly and he swirled his tongue into her belly button making her gasp. His eyes locked with hers and he lifted her body slightly, bringing it back down onto his cock.

"Daryl!" Carol cried out as he filled her.

His breathing was harsh, his fingers gripping her waist firmly as he thrust into her as far as he could. She planted her hands on his shoulders and began to lift herself up and down over him, riding him with wild abandon. He worked his hand between them, his finger slipping into her to massage her sweet spot.

"Come for me Carol...Christ," he muttered harshly.

Carol's eyes fluttered closed as her breath left her in short pants. Her skin felt flushed and burning like someone had set fire to it. Her hand somehow ended up tangled into his hair, her fingers gripping it tightly, yanking on the short wisps as she felt her stomach flutter. Somewhere in the back of her mind, amid the sound of her blood rushing in her ears she heard Daryl growl and he latched onto her nipple, pulling the tight bud into his mouth.

Carol's body convulsed, her walls vibrating around him as she cried out, riding out her release. She came hard, all of their pent up sexual tension bursting forth in a rush of wetness. Daryl buried his face into the crook of her neck, his fingers digging into the cheeks of her ass as his body went taut, his hips slamming into hers once more before he found his release.

They were both coated in a fine sheen of sweat, their bodies resting against each other. They panted into each others neck as they worked to get their breathing under control.

"Fuck," Daryl panted as he wiped at his forehead and Carol hummed her agreement of the term.

Carol felt like her bones had turned to liquid, her body exhausted from all of the pleasure. She didn't think she could move even if her life depended on it so she stayed where she was with Daryl still inside of her. After a few minutes he shifted them, withdrawing himself from her slowly.

"It's hot," Carol muttered finally.

"Mmm," Daryl hummed low in his throat, his head turning lazily to look at her when an idea crossed his mind. "Think we should shower to remove all this sweat... conserve water and all," he suggested coyly.

Carol blushed, turning her face to his. Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly between them and he chuckled.

"Maybe after that shower we can eat. I seem to have worked up an appetite."

Daryl's eyes burned into hers wickedly. "I've worked up an appetite myself, but it sure as hell isn't for pizza."

Carol's heart skipped a beat as he held out a hand for her and she placed hers into his without a moment's hesitation.

...


	33. Chapter 33

...

Daryl swiped at something tickling his nose, snorting when it didn't go away. He blinked slowly, his body gradually coming alert. Turning his head, he found the source of the tickle: _Carol_.

Carol was nestled into his side. The palm of one of her hands lay flat against his bare chest and her head laying in the crook of his arm, her hair tickling his nose as he breathed in. He studied her profile while she slept, the slight parting of her lips combined with the way her nostrils flared slightly as she breathed in. She was warm bundled into his side, his body already at half-mast just at the feel of her bare skin.

They had tumbled into the shower together last night, washing off the sweat and increasing the sexual tension between them with gentle touches here and there. They managed to leave the sanctity of the shower once the water began to run cold and from there they moved into the kitchen to feast on cold pizza. They stood silently across from each other, both of them only wrapped with a towel. They sneaked the occasional glance at each other, their eyes traveling over bare skin as the tension between them rose to a heightened level once more. Barely filling their bellies, they had tumbled into his bed together, their bodies joining together once more before they had both finally drifted off to sleep.

His attention was diverted to her when she mewled softly in her sleep, turning over onto her back. His cock twitched at the sound and he feasted his eyes on the globes of her breasts that had been revealed once she had moved. Sliding his arm slowly from beneath her head, he carefully pulled the blanket down further, positioning himself between her legs.

He hadn't gotten to taste her in this way last night and now his body was roaring for a sample. He nudged her thighs apart and closed his eyes as he leaned close to inhale her sweet scent. Daryl didn't consider himself very skilled in this area and if he was honest, Carol would be the first woman that he would have his mouth on in this way. What little bit he did know, he had learned from the various nudity magazines he had sneaked occasional glances from out of Merle's stash over the years. Then of course, it somehow always managed to come up eventually in conversations with men and Daryl had always found himself taking mental notes, filing information away for later.

He dredged up that information now and hoped that it would be enough to carry him through this without making himself look like a fool. Parting her lips with his fingers, he swept his tongue between the folds. Carol let out a low moan, her hands flying down to tangle into the sheets as she leaned up onto her elbows to stare at him. He paused, waiting to see if she wanted him to stop, but she lifted her hips as a sign for him to continue.

Grinning at her, he buried his face back between her thighs and began to enthusiastically explore different ways he could make her moan with pleasure. Carol's hands clutched frantically at the sheets as he closed his mouth over her protruding nub and suckled lightly. Her loud moan spurred him on and he felt her wetness flood around his mouth. She tasted better than he had anticipated and he was quite enjoying himself with bringing her pleasure this way.

"Daryl!" She gasped as her thighs quivered around his face.

He chuckled and then growled low in his throat as a dose of pure lust shot through him at the way that she cried out his name. Arching her hips, she let out a low moan as the delicate skin within his mouth began to quiver, her juices flooding around him. He quickly sucked at the tiny river of wetness until she was left relatively dry and quivering beneath him.

He finally pulled away, wiping at his mouth as he did so. Looking at her, he was pleased to see that she looked thoroughly content, her cheeks flushed and skin glowing. Crawling over her body he dipped his mouth to hers and claimed her in a searing kiss that left them both dizzy.

"Morning," he drawled lazily.

She blushed, averting her eyes from his and he reached over to pull her face back to his. Running his thumb over her lip, he freed it from its light clasp between her teeth.

"Don't hide from me," he whispered. "Makes me think you regret something."

Carol's eyes widened and she rose up on her elbows, bringing their faces within inches from each other.

"No!" She said loudly and then she cleared her throat, "I don't regret anything. It was...the best night of my life," she admitted with a blush. "I was worried that _you_ might be regretting it."

"Hardly."

He snorted and gazed down upon her body, her nipples already growing hard under his steady eye. He knew then that the bed was likely where they would be spending the day because he hadn't quite gotten his fill of her yet.

He might have to order more pizza.

...

Andrea sighed as she finished cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast. Yesterday had been an emotional day for her and she was still getting over the shock of her sister Amy showing up at the garage. She hadn't seen her sister in years. In fact, it had been so many years that she had lost count.

They hadn't always had the best relationship, but she loved her sister and seeing her again had made her realize just how much she had missed her. When they had been younger, too young for Amy to remember, they had been taken out of their home by child protective services. Their parents had been deemed unfit to take care of them, their drug problem inhibiting their ability to see past anything but their next hit. Their Aunt had offered to take them in, but it had come with one condition: they had to move. Andrea had resisted, not wanting to leave her home and the things that were familiar to her.

Amy had gone along with it, glad to be away from it all, but Andrea hadn't. Their aunt had finally given up and left her behind, unbeknownst to child protective services. Andrea had gone back to stay with their parents and they hadn't even known she was there half of the time. She stayed in and out, drifting between friend's houses sometimes to get away until she got old enough to get a job and then she got her own place. It had been a shitty place, but it had been hers while she had paid the rent. Their parents had died of a drug overdose several months after Andrea had left them. She had grieved, but most of her grieving for them had already been done.

Now Amy was back, carrying with her the bad news of their aunt's passing. Andrea thought badly of herself because she hadn't been able to muster up as much sadness as she thought she should. She hadn't ever known the woman that well and found it hard to feel sad over someone who had virtually been a stranger to her. Amy had nowhere to go right now and Mac had relented to let her stay with them in his trailer. Andrea knew that it was a big concession on his part and she had been particularly sweet to him because of it. Mac hadn't ever liked people in his space, her being the exception to the rule thus far.

Andrea listened to the sounds of the shower turn on as she dried her hands on one of the towels they kept in the kitchen. Mac had been quiet all morning and she could feel his eyes on her now. She was trying to remain positive about the whole situation, but she was worried that Amy being here might put too much stress on him, on their relationship.

She could feel him approach her from behind and at the first touch of his hand sliding onto her hip she sighed and leaned into him. He kept sliding his hand around her waist, up her chest, and to her throat, resting it at the base with firm pressure. She felt her body respond to him instantly, her thighs clenching together in anticipation.

His breathing was heavy by her ear and wordlessly he pushed her until she was bent over at the waist, her cheek resting against the kitchen counter. His hand moved down from her throat, sliding back until he was groping her breasts, his fingers teasing her through the fabric of her t-shirt. She moaned softly, mindful of the shower running in the next room. Just knowing that her sister could stop the shower and walk in at any time had her heart beating faster and her pulse racing excitedly. They both enjoyed the extra thrill of discovery, the adrenaline that flowed through their veins from it.

Andrea pushed back into him, wiggling in excitement as she felt his erection prodding against her. He wrapped his hand around her long blonde locks, tugging slightly so that she had to arch her back.

"What are you waiting for? Fuck me already."

He slipped his free hand down her shorts, sliding it in between her slickness so that she bit her lip.

"That what you want?" He asked huskily. "You want me to _fuck_ you?"

Andrea whimpered, loving the tone his voice had taken. He had such a sexy voice and he knew just how to use it to turn her to mush.

He pulled on her hair tighter. "Should I fuck you with your sister in the other room? Do you think you can keep your pretty little fucking moans quiet?"

Mac continued to run his finger inside of her, working her as she dripped for him. Suddenly he pulled away from her and she heard his hand fumbling with his belt. The sound of his zipper pulling down had her eyes closing as she waited. He slid his cock against the outside of her slit, slicking it with her wetness. She moaned softly, mindful of how loud she was. He chuckled, knowing that it was a stretch for her to be so quiet. Once he was slick, he pushed into her with a pop and she gasped as her body swallowed him.

Mac growled, pushing himself balls deep inside of her tight heat. Her hands came up and gripped the counter, her knuckles white as she gripped it tightly. He reached around and shoved her shirt up so that her breasts swayed freely. He ran his hands over them before bringing it back to her heat, rolling his fingers across her sensitive nub.

Andrea pushed back against him harder and he let go to smack her soundly across the ass causing her to hiss at him.

"Quiet!" She hissed through her teeth.

Mac grunted, "You know you fucking like it. Don't be a tease. She won't know shit."

Andrea bit back her reply as her body quivered around him in an earth shattering orgasm. He growled from behind her, his thrusts slowing to long strokes seconds before she felt his cum shooting inside of her. He pulled out of her slowly, smacking her once more on the ass for good measure as he grabbed a napkin to clean himself up.

She sucked in a deep breath, forcing her shaky legs to support her full weight as she pulled her clothing back into place. Surprisingly, she felt slightly better afterwards and she wondered if she would ever tire of him or if it would always be this way. She hoped for the latter.

He shocked her by gripping her chin with two fingers as the sounds of the water shutting off caught their attention. He slid his eyes back to her, his hot and intense as always.

"Better?" He asked, his eyes searching hers.

Mac hadn't ever asked her anything like that before and it was then that she wondered how much of her mood he could sense. She wondered if the sex had been more for her pleasure than his, especially considering he knew just how much she liked it when he took control over her.

She offered him a small smile. "Better," she agreed softly.

He nodded at her, his mouth sweeping over hers softer than he ever had before. She was left in a daze as he walked away from her, leaving her standing in the kitchen just as her sister exited the bathroom. Andrea couldn't help the smile that spread over her face, not even caring when her sister shot her a quizzical look.

...


	34. Chapter 34

...

"Put your eyes back in your head, you fucking perv," Daryl said to Merle as they stood outside around the grill.

They had all gathered over at Daryl and Merle's place, deciding to have a cookout and shoot the shit with each other since the weather was so perfect outside. It wasn't too overbearingly hot, but the sun was still shining, a small breeze blowing through.

Of course, Merle had been eyeing Andrea's sister Amy all afternoon and Daryl had finally decided to call him on it. Only, at least he had the courtesy to call him on it where no one else could hear him. If it were Mac, Daryl knew that he would have announced it loudly for all to hear. Merle gave him the finger, his lips curling slightly around the lip of his beer.

"Can't help it she's got a nice ass brother. A real man appreciates these kinds o' things," Merle replied.

Daryl snorted as he flipped the burgers on the grill, wondering again how he had managed to get roped into cooking the majority of the food.

"I appreciate it." His own eyes drifted to the curve of Carol's ass as he watched the three women talking and laughing under the shade of one of the oak trees that littered the property.

She happened to turn at that moment and her eyes slid to his, her lips parted in laughter at something one of the women had said and he sucked in a breath. The brunt of her smile hit him straight in the gut and she let her eyes travel over him. His own lips curled up in the corners in response before she turned her attention back to her conversation. God, all she had to do was smile at him and he found himself wanting her again.

He checked the burgers and closed the lid on the grill, letting them cook a little while longer. Mac exited the cabin, a case of beer tucked under one arm and a stack of plates in the other. He set the case of beer on a picnic table along with the plates and then smacked Andrea on the ass causing her to screech loudly.

"Well, ain't we the picture o' domestication?" Merle drawled to Mac as he approached.

"Fuck off," Mac scowled as he plopped himself down onto a log that they were using as a bench.

They were all quiet for a few minutes as they sat relaxing peacefully in the shade. Daryl glanced at Merle and caught him looking at Amy again, his eyes catching Mac's over the top of Merle's head.

"She's got a nice fucking ass, huh?" Mac leaned over with a wicked grin, elbows resting on his knees to ask.

Merle blinked, "What?"

"Andrea's sister," Daryl chimed in, the three of them now staring at the women who were still huddled together.

Merle cut his eyes at the two men and sucked his teeth, "Ain't y'all got some girly shit you ought to be doin' instead of standin' around here flappin' your gums?"

"Oh, I got a girl I ought to be doing alright," Mac retorted as his eyes slid to Andrea's figure longingly.

"Seems like you ain't the only one that's got yourself someone to be doin'. Ain't that right lil' brother?" Merle grinned at Daryl.

Daryl ignored the both of them and walked over to the case of beer. He took a long pull from the frosty brew, prepping himself for the ragging that was sure to come from the older Dixon's. Sure enough, he watched from a couple of feet away as Mac and Merle began talking and laughing, staring in his direction. He was sure they were talking about him and Carol, but surprisingly he found himself not really caring. He just didn't want to stand over there and have to listen to the shit. His sex life wasn't exactly something he cared to discuss out loud.

He thought it was funny how the two men considered themselves experts on all things sex related yet they couldn't seem to hang onto one woman for too damn long. Except for Mac...Ever since Mac had found Andrea, he hadn't been with another woman as far as Daryl knew. Daryl felt a smile tug over his lips as he thought about Carol and how she had come into his life.

"What are you smiling about over here all by yourself?" Carol pressed her body into his side, her mouth moving near his ear.

The skin of his neck tingled where her hair brushed it and he turned his head to look at her. She was smiling at him and he realized that he had been smiling to himself like an idiot while standing there alone. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, his other wrapped around the beer.

"Was thinking about you actually," he replied.

Her eyes widened slightly. "Oh?"

He nodded, his gaze falling to her lips. Images of what those lips were capable of flashed through his brain and sent blood flooding down to his groin. He fought back a wave of desire, remembering that there were others around. Maybe this damn cookout hadn't been the best idea after all. He could have just stayed in bed all day again with Carol.

He watched her cheeks flush red and he realized she must be reading his mind.

She cleared her throat, "Do you need anything else from inside?"

He stroked the hair on his chin as he thought about it. "Hamburger buns?"

She nodded, "Okay. I'll be right back."

Daryl couldn't help but watch her as she walked towards the cabin before his eyes swung around, locating Merle and Mac now standing by the women talking.

"Be right back! Watch the burgers!" Daryl called out.

Merle threw up a hand in acknowledgment and Daryl set his beer down before heading into the cabin behind Carol.

...

Carol was standing on tiptoe, reaching into the cabinet for the buns, when she heard the back door open and close. She turned around just in time to see Daryl round the corner, an expression of desire crossing his face as his eyes met hers. She bit her lip as her thighs clenched in response, her back leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Do you know where the buns are?" She asked softly.

He shrugged, his pupil's growing darker the further he inched into the room. He stopped just in front of her and leaned down, breathing in her scent. She shivered, her mouth watering as he moved his nose along her cheek, his mouth sliding over hers hotly. Carol moaned into the kiss, her fingers tangling in the front of his shirt. She shifted her body closer to his and gasped as she felt his erection prodding against her thigh. He pulled back and pulled in a shuddering breath.

"You wanna?" He asked in a low voice.

Carol glanced over her shoulder and out of the window that looked over the yard where the others were. "They'll come looking for us."

He shrugged. "Even if we didn't do anything, they would still talk. Might as well give them something to talk about."

Daryl grabbed her hand and she began to grin, following him as he tugged her into his bedroom where he shut and locked the door behind them. His scent was intoxicating and she found herself growing more and more wet for him. He stripped his shirt off, flinging it behind him where it hit the edge of the bed and flopped to the floor. She drank in his bare chest with the slight sheen of sweat that coated his muscles and neck.

Not skipping a beat Carol removed her own shirt, tossing it over his shoulder to join his. She narrowly missed his face and he glanced over his shoulder and then back at her, a wide grin splitting his face.

"Sorry," she mouthed, grinning back at him.

He shook his head at her and they both removed their shoes before he backed her against the wall. They had spent lots of time in bed lately and each time Carol waited for that moment when she might have flashbacks of Ed, but there were none. Daryl was a totally different breed of man altogether and Carol was becoming addicted to him. He never did anything to make her feel overwhelmed and she appreciated that about him.

His tongue began to sweep across the skin just below her ear, the texture sending ripples up her spine. She ran her hands over his chest and shoulders, tracing a path over his skin.

"Quick?" He whispered into her ear.

She nodded her assent and with that he began to unbutton his jeans, her fingers fumbling with her own clothing. He swept his down and off and then moved in to help her remove her own. Once they were both naked, he lifted her up, bracing her back against the wall. Carol looped her arms around his neck to help hold her weight.

Daryl slid one hand between them and into her slick folds, both of them letting out a groan. He quickly began to work her, his fingers dancing over her skin in the way that he had discovered she liked. Her eyes drifted closed as he bent his head to pull one of her nipples into his mouth. He sucked on the taut peak, the sensations sparking deep in her belly. Carol felt herself begin to rise, her body growing hotter before she rocketed into space. She pulsed around him, whimpering slightly as he removed his fingers. Gripping his rigid cock, he positioned it at her entrance and glanced into her face before pushing slowly into her. She gasped audibly as he stretched her body, his hands moving to grip her thighs so that he could slide in and out of her.

His own breath began to come in short pants, sweat popping onto his forehead as he worked himself up to his breaking point. They were both quiet, the only sounds being flesh against flesh until Carol took it upon herself to bite his neck gently. Daryl growled, arching his neck further over to grant her more access. She complied and he increased the force of his thrusts, sending her soaring into oblivion once more. He followed quickly after, letting out a deep sigh as they both took a breath.

Carol pressed a kiss to his temple. "I've never had this much sex in my life," she admitted.

Daryl's face was flushed, "Me either."

She giggled as he slid himself out of her and slowly lowered her so that her feet touched the floor. He brushed a lock of her hair from her face, his fingers lingering on her skin as he did so. He looked like there was something that he wanted to say, but he didn't.

They dressed silently and quickly, having lost track of how long they had both been gone. He caught her hand before they left the room and kissed her palm, throwing a smile in her direction. She returned the smile and squeezed his hand, her heart feeling happier than she ever had before.

...


	35. Chapter 35

**...**

**Two months later...**

Carol smiled as she pulled Daryl's truck up to the cabin they shared. She was done with her community service and today was the day she could finally put all of this mess behind her. She was a free woman in every sense of the word. Her heart beat faster as the anticipation of seeing Daryl intensified. She hated being gone from him for so long, especially lately. They had gotten so close over the last couple of months and every day was like something new and exciting for them.

She took a moment to reflect over how much things had changed over the course of time since she had first arrived. Mac and Andrea were pretty stable lately and Andrea was even looking into getting them their own place so that they could get out of that trailer of his. Mac of course, was grumbling about it, but Carol knew that he would give in. He always did when it came to Andrea. The man was smitten and didn't even know it. It was almost amusing to watch at times.

She shook her head, thinking about how they had just been over for dinner the other night. They had hardly been able to keep their hands off of each other and Carol had thought it was sweet. Andrea seemed happier too and Carol was so glad to see her friend smiling more. She and Andrea had been spending more time together, becoming closer friends and it was nice to have that woman that she could confide in when needed. Andrea had just recently told her that she was also looking into going to college and taking some classes. Carol was so happy for them.

Merle was taking Amy out most nights to dinner or some other random adventure. The two of them seemed to be taking it kind of slow, feeling each other out and Carol could tell that there was something deep brewing between the two of them. Daryl, of course, was shocked that his brother was finally settling down some at first, but now he was getting more used to the whole idea.

All things considered, Carol thought that life was pretty perfect right now. She had a wonderful boyfriend and the best friends that anyone could ask for. Even though they weren't blood related, they made her feel like family and that's what really mattered. It felt nice to have that unwavering support and friendship. She hadn't ever had that that she could remember.

"What are you doing out here in the truck all by yourself?" Daryl's husky voice by the window made her jump nearly out of her skin.

He chuckled at her expression and she swatted at him playfully while he opened the driver's side door. She swung her legs around and he parted them, stepping between them to pull her close and nuzzle his nose into her neck, his favorite place to be. He breathed in her scent deeply for several minutes and they just stayed there, intertwined together...perfectly content.

Finally he pulled back. "How was it? Your last day was today, right?"

Carol nodded and smiled, her excitement shining through. "It was bittersweet. I hated to leave, but Hershel Greene said he might have a job for me this winter if I want one."

Daryl smiled as he leaned in to kiss her."That's great. I know how much you enjoyed yourself working with the animals."

Carol nodded and sighed in contentment. It was one of those days where she just felt completely happy and content, like nothing else in the world mattered.

"You too tired to ride somewhere with me?" Daryl asked.

She glanced at him curiously, "What are you up to?"

Shaking his head and grinning, he urged her over into the passenger seat. "Not telling. Feel like a drive?"

She shrugged. She didn't think there would ever come a time where she would turn him down for anything. At least, she hoped that she wouldn't. He climbed into the driver's seat and fired up the truck, backing it out of the driveway and back onto the road.

Carol slid over close to him, closing the gap between them and just wanting to be near him. He smelled of aftershave, soap, and Daryl...a scent all his own. He lifted his arm and she scooted underneath it, her leg brushing against his as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

He sniffed. "You smell like horses," he muttered.

Carol laughed. "Thanks! That's because I went with Hershel to do a follow-up visit on some horses he was treating."

She trailed her hand down his arm that rested on her shoulder, eyeing the veins that ran down the inside of his arm. She traced one with the tip of her finger causing him to shift and twitch in his seat.

"You trying to get me stirred up?" He asked huskily, his voice near her ear.

She smiled and looked over at him while driving, "Maybe."

He shook his head, a small smile playing across his lips as he slowed down the truck to make a turn that seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place in her mind. He glanced at her, smiling at her slightly confused expression. It was only as he pulled the truck into the clearing that it dawned on her where they were.

"What are we doing at your grandfather's land?" 

He shut off the truck and opened his door, climbing out and holding out a hand to help her down, "You'll see."

He kept a hold of her hand after her feet hit the ground and tugged her along behind him to the center of the clearing. It seemed different there, like someone had been doing some cleaning up of the land recently. She narrowed her eyes at him curiously.

"Daryl Dixon, have you been sneaking here to clean this place up?" 

He smiled secretively and turned his head, yanking her into his arms so that her back was to his chest.

"What do you think about this place?" He asked, ignoring her earlier question.

Carol wasn't sure what he was hinting at exactly, but she thought she had told him once that she liked it.

"It's great, but why are you asking?"

He was quiet for several moments, staring around at the land around them. "What you think about me building us a house out here and moving onto it?" 

Carol swallowed, her heart leaping into her throat at his question. She looked around at the land, taking in all of the trees and bushes, trying to imagine a house of some sort sitting here...herself living here. It was then that she knew that it mattered not one bit where she stayed just so long as Daryl was staying there with her.

She turned in his arms, noticing that he looked a little nervous and she placed her palm over his heart, feeling the thundering beat.

"My home is wherever you are Daryl. As long as you are with me...I could live anywhere in this world and be happy," she admitted.

He stared down at her, his eyes darkening and swirling with emotion. She felt her breath hitch as his hand slid up her cheek, his thumb stroking along her jaw. She tipped her head and caught his thumb in between her teeth, biting down on it enough to make him hiss before she released it.

Without warning he swept his arm under her legs and picked her up, carrying her over to the truck. She looped her arms around his neck, her fingers toying with the hair at his nape. He laid her down on the bed of the truck and she stared up at him with lust in her eyes. He leaned over, bracing his hands against the metal of the tailgate, his arms twitching with unbridled passion.

Carol licked her lips and sat up, sliding her hands over his muscles and back down again. "Take me hard Daryl. I want to really feel you against me."

Daryl bit his lip, "I don't want to hurt you."

She was touched by the fact that he was being so sensitive to her feelings. She wanted it rough with him, wanted that experience of feeling him using her for pleasure. There was no longer that fear of being hurt because she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would never hurt her.

Grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, Carol yanked him forward, his eyebrow raising in surprise at her sudden movement. Instead of talking, she leaned her head forward and nibbled on his neck. His breathing deepened, but he didn't budge. Climbing to her knees, she pulled her shirt over her head, his eyes following her every movement. Smiling at him, she reached behind her for her bra, undoing the clasp, but holding the material to her breasts.

His eyes flashed and he made a grab for her, but she scrambled back out of his reach. She teasingly removed the bra, but kept one arm over her breasts, hiding them from his gaze. Daryl eyed her, a smirk forming on his face and she saw his jaw twitch.

"This how you wanna play it then?" He asked in a gruff voice.

Carol licked her lips and unbuttoned her shorts with one hand, swishing her hips so that they fell to her ankles. She stepped out of them, giving him a full view of the lacy black panties she wore. Daryl propped one booted foot onto the tailgate of the truck and lifted himself up. Carol stepped back as far as she could, grinning at him mischievously. He returned the grin momentarily, shaking his head at her before it disappeared.

She shrieked as he made a grab for her and she would have made it had he not had lightning-like reflexes. His strong arms wrapped around her waist and he pinned her back against him, grabbing both of her wrists in one hand so that she was immobilized. With the other hand he slid them down and across her breasts, toying with each nipple so that it puckered underneath his touch.

Carol moaned, encouraging him on by pushing back against him. "I've been a bad girl," she whispered.

His lips brushed her ear. "Yeah?" His voice came out hoarse and strained.

Carol nodded and leaned forward as much as his grip would allow "I think you should punish me." She looked over her shoulder at him.

His nostrils flared. "Goddammit Carol," he hissed.

He was so aroused that she managed to slip her hands free and she whirled around to tug on his shirt. He bent over and she slipped it off, marveling at the hard planes of his chest and back. She gripped his belt, unbuckling it slowly as her eyes lifted to his almost shyly. She was absolutely winging this, but she didn't want him to know that.

"I think you should punish me...with your belt."

Daryl removed her hands suddenly and she feared that she had pushed him too far in this game. She started to apologize but he forced her to lean over the side of the truck, one of his hands holding her in place. She heard him fumble with his belt and the light clink of the metal as he removed it.

Carol held her breath as his hand yanked her panties down so that they fell to her feet. He smoothed his palm down her back and over her ass.

"Last chance to back out," he offered, his voice still gruff.

Carol shook her head. "No. I want this. I can take it."

He inhaled deeply and she jumped when she felt the leather of the belt across her ass cheeks. It didn't sting as much as she had thought and she was more than a little surprised to find that it actually turned her on.

"Carol..." He faltered slightly.

"Again." Her tone was firm and she braced herself for him.

He slapped her across the other cheek, alternating with every slap until she began to moan. Finally he threw down the belt and she gasped when he kissed her there, soothing her pink skin. He slipped one of his fingers inside of her and she let out a cry of pleasure at the feel of him stroking her.

"Beg for it," he said huskily, startling her.

"Please Daryl."

"More."

She inhaled sharply, "Please fuck me."

Growling, he began removing the rest of his clothing until his naked cock was pressing against her, her wetness dripping down onto him. He slid his cock back and forth along her slit, soaking himself with her until she squirmed beneath him. Without warning he slipped inside of her, thrusting deeply so that they both cried out in pleasure.

Maybe it was the fact that they were outside in the wilderness or maybe they just both wanted it badly, but they began to claw at each other almost like animals in the wild. Daryl pounded into her as he slid his hands around to grope her breasts, stimulating her body with his touch. One of his hands found her hair and he pulled on it, making her head fall back towards him. She leaned up, almost standing and he groaned, sliding a hand over the smooth column of her throat. All of her senses were on high alert and she hadn't ever felt so turned on in her life.

"So fucking beautiful," he murmured against the flesh of her neck.

She whimpered, grabbing his hand and taking one of his fingers into her mouth. She sucked on it, swirling her tongue around it until he began to thrust harder and she bit down, dragging her teeth over the skin.

"Gonna cum for me?" He asked when she released his finger.

"Make me," she taunted.

He chuckled, pulling his cock from her suddenly so that she was left feeling empty. Carol whimpered at the loss of him.

"Yes, I'll cum for you." 

He slapped her ass hard and she yelped, having not expected it. He teased her with the head of his cock, sliding it in just a hair and pulling it back.

"Do you love me?" He asked. Carol's eyes widened and she began to turn around, but he held her in place. "Answer the question," he commanded.

Carol nodded, swallowing thickly. "I love you so much that it hurts," she whispered.

He sucked in a sharp breath. "Fuck, me. I love you too."

He slammed back inside of her and Carol screamed out in passion. They were both brought to their climax together, giving and taking of each others pleasure. Her body shuddered around his cock uncontrollably as he spilled himself inside of her, some of their juices trickling down her leg.

Daryl wrapped an arm around her waist, sitting down and bringing her with him onto his lap. She cradled her head against his chest, listening to the thud of his heart as they both came down from the intense high of their passionate lovemaking.

"Yes," she whispered suddenly and he looked down at her in the fading sunlight.

"Yes?" 

"I would like nothing more than to move here with you and be with you...for as long as you'll have me," she explained.

"How does forever sound?" He asked after a moment.

Carol smiled, "Forever sounds perfect."

...


End file.
